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Over the last year or so I have transitioned into a more online shopper than an offline shopper and the new online shopping portals coming up are a way for people like me to unwind. During my recent search for a particular product, I discovered a new online store… Aplava.

A personalised beauty service tailored to individual taste, budget and lifestyle; Aplava focuses on making a recommendation for all beauty and wellness needs. The portal brings together the best quality Indian and International brands across skincare, haircare and make-up products working directly with manufacturers and distributors to offer genuine products to the shopper.

Every time I land on a shopping portal, I have to experiment and so I did a trial shopping haul. After placing the order I waited patiently for the order to arrive. The next day I received a call regarding the unavailability of a chosen product and then offered a replacement or a larger product via a cash on delivery option. I was disappointed with my choice being unavailable, however, I was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism.

During my shopping experience, I really was amazed at the recommendations offered along with range of products. The shopping policy was more or less similar to other online portals while the there were a few highlights and a couple of misses.

STRENGTHS
§ Personalised product recommendations
§ Range of national and international brands/products
§ Well packed products ensuring no damage in transit
§ A 10-day Return Policy
§ Complimentary products with every order
§ Rewards for every purchase

WEAKNESSES
§ Delivery charges apply for orders below INR 999
§ Delivery time schedules

My shopping experience with Aplava has been pretty great and I will be looking forward to shopping with them soon again. All the products were delivered in perfect condition, bubble wrapped and intact inspite a many of them in glass bottles. I loved the fact that the brand added a small travel sized haircare package as a gift for me, in accordance with the beauty score derived from my profile.

However, one important aspect the brand needs to catch up with is to up its delivery time schedules in the tremendous competition that is seen in the online shopping scenario, to be the first choice for all online shoppers.

Have you heard about Aplava? How has your experience been?
- Heena

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Colorado, a state in the United States is well known as a travel destination due to its geographic diversity. The adventures and recreation activities offered by the snow-covered mountains, arid desert lands and river canyons ensure that every traveller has something to look forward to during their vacation.

Biking at Limelight Hotel Aspen

Image Credit: Limelight Hotel

The Limelight Hotel Aspen is a perfectly laid back gorgeous hotel that's in the midst of all natural resources, that allows making the most of every little adventure. The hotel offers great biking adventures from peddling through the woods to a road ride around the valley. The Sky Mountain Park a distance from the hotel boats of mountain biking as well as single track trails. So if you want to ride on steep or flat surfaces, easy or extreme trails, the cycling options will available as soon as you stop out.

Rafting at DoubleTree by Hilton Durango

Image Credit: DoubleTree by Hilton

The DoubleTree by Hilton Durango is located on the Animas River that offers numerous water sports including fishing, rafting, kayaking and nature viewing. Even though there are numerous activities you can do, travellers must indulge in whitewater rafting in the two distinct sections of the river. The Lower Animas is a fun-bouncy ride while the Upper Animas is long-broken into three stretches.

Gondola ride at Sky Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel

Image Credit: Sky Hotel

The Sky Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel His a luxury hotel on a brilliant spot on the Aspen Mountain with ski-in access. An easy walk into the gondola that only a few properties offer, sets the hotel apart from the rest. The gondola ride takes you up to the summit to majestic views via the floor to ceiling glass windows. A 10-minute ride will become a journey of a lifetime that travellers will ever experience.

Ski at the Aspen Mountain Lodge

Image Credit: Aspen Mountain Lodge

The Aspen Mountain Lodge is a well known world-class ski resort that offers 4 mountains with 4100 acres of skiable terrain fit for every level of skier. The Aspen Skiing Company offers all levels of skiing experiences from expert to intermediate, from beginners to snowboarders. There are numerous ski races and competitions organised at the Aspen Mountains that is easily accessed from the Lodge. There are activities even for the novice like dogsledding, snowmobiling and even guided snowshoe.

Wine and Dine at Magnolia Hotel Denver

Image Credit: Harry's Bar and Grill

The Magnolia Hotel Denver is a Magnolian style downtown hotel where the old world charm is restored to reflect its 1910 glory. One thing that every traveller must do is to wine and dine at the Harry’s Bar and Grill that ensures you enjoy a bistro style doing experience. Pegged as ‘One of the Best Places to Chill’; Harry’s offers an amazing array of fine wines, cocktails and a wide selection of local brews along with a large spread of seasonal appetisers and entrees.

Excited? Let's get going now.
- Heena

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Being mommy is no child’s play… it is a lot of hard work, no matter how young or old kids are. The job begins without any training and continues never to cease; however it is full of amazing pitstops that make the ride worthwhile.

I know a lot of parents feel the pressure of parenthood, especially when they notice their kids with abnormal behaviour, growth not in accordance to growth charts, health and wellness issues. For me, my constant worry is about the right nourishment for my hyper-active little one. With the amount of activity she does, running around all day unable to sit still even for a few minutes, hobbies that are physically strenuous; keeps me on the edge of my already rocky motherhood chair.

Image Credit: GrowthPlus Horlicks

A regular trip to the paediatrician ensures me that my little one is growing well within the framework of the growth chart prescribed by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. Being a strict vegetarian, I plan my little ones meals to the ‘T’, to ensure that my child’s food intake supplements an all-inclusive balanced and nutritious diet and also reinforces the importance of healthy eating habits. My diet plan for my daughter is...

§ A calcium and vitamin rich breakfast including nuts, milk and cereals.
§ A dose of leafy vegetables and fruits to meet the protein and mineral requirement.
§ A portion of lentils and grains to supplement the fibre needs.

This food mantra is what has been designed and tested over generations to ensure a balanced diet. However with my little one more inclined towards physically strenuous activities like sports and dance; I realise how important it is to make sure she does not fall behind on the growth parameters and my continuous efforts are directed towards ensuring that she keeps pace with attaining the right weight-height for her growing age.

Image Credit: GrowthPlus Horlicks

A recently conducted research report mentions that children in the age-group of 3-9 years are most prone to inadequate growth due to numerous factors such as fussy eating, reduced immunity, severe weight gain, etc. Lost growth in early childhood needs to be recognised and the situation is corrected with supplementing adequate nutrition to catch up on growth. The easiest method to check if your child is suffering from lost growth is to match the details below or go to the link here to map your child’s current status.

Image Credit: GrowthPlus Horlicks

I took the Horlicks test and realised that #PrincessHeer growth has marginally slowed down, and it is the right time for me to take some action. Apart from her regular diet fixes, she needs something that will help enhance the lacking ingredients. Horlicks Growth+ has proven to nourish children with the perfect mix of whey protein, amino acids Arginine, Glutamic acid, Leucine and Lysine11; and also is able to supplement the daily quota of Calcium, Iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Zinc. The product from the house of GSK has now become the go-to formula for parents.

Image Credit: GrowthPlus Horlicks

No parent needs to be told how important it is for children to catch up on lost growth in this fast-paced, super-competitive world today. Every positive step towards wellness and overall health of your child is a milestone that every parent must consciously make.

Do you agree?
- Heena

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To be honest we didn’t even know anything about Phaltan until Jakson Inns invited us for a weekend escape to the gorgeous location. Living in Mumbai, we always desperately seek to explore untouched locations that are a far cry away from the mundane, oh-so predictable and characterless destinations that most vacation spots are fast turning into. Phaltan at a driving distance of about 4 hours from Western Mumbai, is the answer to all the experiences you seek. The ancient capital city of Maharashtra, Phaltan is the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj’s first wife Saibai; thus having a close connection to the rich heritage and history of the state.

As we drove down to Phaltan nothing could have prepared us for the beauty of the rugged place that is as yet so untouched. The gorgeous property nestled amidst serene sugarcane fields and fruit orchards, The Jakson Inns Phaltan is India’s first 3-star LEED GREEN platinum rated hotel. Though from the outside the hotel will look like a regular stay option, we were amazed with the six acres boutique property with 60 deluxe rooms and 4 suites. Most modern facilities and amenities are available at the Inn, with special stay provisions for lady travelers, business travelers, family vacationers as well as larger groups. One thing that really amazed us was the installation of solar panels which accounts for the electricity requirements of almost one floor of the hotel.

With a combination of contemporary design and modern facilities, the Jakson Inns Phaltan is a dream property to relax at. We were seamlessly checked in for a quick siesta post which we took the hotel tour. We were pretty impressed with the Kundalini spa, the Burn gym as well as the Green Bean restaurant and the Fulltoon bar.

The summer heat was intense, but that didn’t stop us from exploring around the hotel. One question that really kept popping in our mind was why someone would choose to come to a barren land to relax even though the property is great. The answer to that question came from the unique experiences that we had during our stay at the hotel. Though a host of activities are organized for vacationers to choose from; we decided to skip the regular run-of-the-mills holiday activities to explore some unique experiences that the Inn is promoting in and around Phaltan.

A morning at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra

KVK Baramati is a leading agricultural technology haven founded by Sharad Pawar and now managed by Dr. Appasaheb Pawar for the upliftment of the farming community. KVK is a playground where scientists and agriculturalists experiment to deliver demand driven products and services to the agricultural community. Infused with demonstration plots, exhibits of farming technology and equipment and soil testing laboratories, KVK is the perfect place for experiential learning.

An afternoon at the fields

Late afternoon, we headed for a tour of the sugarcane field and fruit orchard just besides the hotel and then settled in for a fiesta. A lavish spread set up across 20 acres of plantation while we relaxed on the traditional charpai was a scene just out of a Bollywood movie. Running around in the paddy fields and posing against the freshly ploughed read soil awakened our senses.

An evening under the windmills

How close can one think about going to a windmill? We went so close that we could hear the gentle swishing of the air, the ferocious wing pass an inch away and the breeze playing chaos with my hair. A short drive from Jakson Inn and we were lapping in the beauty of the neatly attacked row of windmills snuggled in the backdrop of the lush countryside. The highlight of the stay, which we cherish to date; the evening spent at Pusagaon sipping red wine under the gorgeously lit sun-kissed evening sky just looking at the windmills dance to the tune of the wind is something that can only be experienced. Nothing, absolutely nothing can help you visualize it; expect the pictures we took there.

During the short trip, we did experience a few unique things; however for the traditional there are a few things to do as well. For our next trip there we sure want to visit the Royal Rajwada (Palace), the Aundh Museum, and the Ajinkya Tara.

Yes, we are already planning our next visit to the Jakson Inns for their unrivalled service. The staff is beyond exemplary with their on-point service, knowledge about the property and the information about the history and heritage of the place. And not to forget the food, the Green Bean restaurant tosses dishes of your choice in a jiffy, if it is not already a part of their humungous buffet spread.

Are you packing already?
- Heena

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