The Cappuccino Series: Episode 2

After a week of craziness, we finally found the time to go on another hunt to find the perfect cappuccino.

This time we visited Hubbard & Cravens Coffee and Tea in Carmel. This place was located in the cutest, prettiest area of Carmel (which is basically like all of Carmel....kidding not kidding). And the inside was even prettier. We loved the environment and feel of this place! It was so well decorated and set up. It was very contemporary, but very rustic at the same time. They had these cool, see-through plastic chairs with wooden tables that looked like just a giant slab of wood. Basically, the atmosphere was amazing and if I could, I would live there.

Carmel swag. Source: Naz's Instagram (@nazday)

See, I wasn't lying. Source: My Instagram (@heraspeaking)

Now let's talk about their coffee, because that's what this post is supposed to be about. I ordered their cappuccino (duh). It came in a nice little mug, which sat on a little saucer, and the best part, they even gave me a spoon. I feel like I used too many commas in that sentence; oh well. The cappuccino was delicious! It was extremely creamy with just the right amount of coffee and steamed milk. I love the froth in cappuccinos and lattes. Scooping the froth up with my spoon was too satisfying. Probably one of my top favorite cappuccinos of all time.

<3

Looking at these photos are making me crave it again.

Naz got the espresso here. From what she told me, it was fantastic; the perfect size for such a strong drink. And it came in a little cute red cup and saucer, so it was almost impossible to not love.

HOW CUTE IS THIS?

All in all, we were thoroughly impressed and satisfied with Hubbard & Cravens. Definitely a great place for all coffee lovers to visit. And they also carry tea, so tea lovers should also check it out. 

Peace, homies.

Movie review: 'English Vinglish'

Spoiler Alert: I don't intentionally spoil things, but I've been told that sometimes I give too many things away on accident. So this is my warning to you. Read on at your own risk. 

Sridevi makes a wonderful comeback into Indian cinema after 15 years with this film! The film is a light-hearted story, fantastically written and directed by Gauri Shinde.

I won't go into too much detail about the plot because I don't want to end up giving everything away, but basically, this story is about a housewife, played by Sridevi, who feels belittled by her husband and children because she doesn't know how to speak English. In order to gain some respect for herself, she secretly starts attending English classes, and the movie takes you through her journey.

I loved the way the movie was directed. It lasted about two hours, but there was not one moment where I felt bored. I never felt the movie was being unnecessarily stretched out, which is very RARE in Bollywood. The dialogue was so perfect. There was just the right amount of comedy, drama, happiness and sadness. Each of the characters were so unique, that you grew attached to each one of them as the movie progressed. The characters were very unique and real.

Now let's talk more about Sridevi. She looked absolutely stunning. So beautiful. And her acting was GREAT. In fact, while watching the movie, I forgot I was watching Sridevi. She beautifully became her character and she never let go. She was so timid throughout the movie, which was perfect for her character of a traditional housewife.

Have I said the words perfect and beautiful enough yet?

There wasn't much music in the film. The few songs that were present were kinda bizarre but they worked well as background sound. Nothing I would download on my iPod to listen to in my free time or while doing homework, etc.

All in all, this movie is great. It puts a big smile on your face. So gather your parents, siblings, friends, etc. and go watch this film! It will not disappoint. Oh, and the best part, no awkward moments whatsoever. You can finally watch a film with your parents and/or kids, stress-free.

Enjoy,

Hera

Blazers mean Business

Hey guys,

Check out my latest fashion post at Brown Girl Magazine! Show them some love on Twitter and Facebook :)

I've uploaded a couple more photos on this post!

Enjoy,

Hera

structured shoulders make me feel glam

Hello lovelies!

So it's been FOREVER since we've done a fashion post. We just never got a chance to go out and have a photo shoot. I finally found some time this past weekend and I thought I'd bring you a night photo shoot since we haven't done one yet.

I'm super excited about this outfit because I absolutely love this dress. It is a cheetah print (shocker) dress that very bold, structured shoulders! The reason I bought the dress was for its shoulders. The shoulders take this somewhat of a simple dress to a whole new level. Structured shoulders are a great way to give any plain dress an edge look, and I felt quite glamorous.

Since the dress was so bold with the shoulders and the print was pretty vibrant, I kept the accessories simple. I threw on some rings and couple of bangles. I decided to wear the black ankle boots instead of heels to keep the look edgy.

This is a great nighttime, "going out" look! The dress is super comfy and because of the boldness of the dress, you don't even need that many accessories!

Let me know how you would style this dress! Don't forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter/Instagram (@heraspeaking, @nazday).

Thanks for reading, dolls!

Hera

 

Accessories

 

Remembrance

On September 11, 2012, an American ambassador, Christopher Stevens, along with three other Americans were killed in Libya at the US Embassy.

I, a Muslim American, condemn this action and do think that those responsible for committing this crime should be punished.

Many are saying the reason this crime was committed was because it was an act of protest against an anti-Islam movie made here in the US. I’m not going to go into the details of what the movie is about or what it’s called because I don’t want to bring attention to it. I don’t think it’s appropriate to make any sort of movie or documentary that insults any religion.

We Americans are quick to blame to others for actions committed against us. We are quick to blame anyone and anything beside ourselves. I’ll admit, I have an ego about being American. I think this country is amazing and I honestly wouldn’t ever want to live anywhere else.

... To read the rest of this article, check out Brown Girl Magazine.

Thanks for reading and share your opinions!

Peace,

Hera

DIY: Instagram wall

About a month ago, I discovered this web site called Printstagram. This company prints your Instagram photos and they offer a variety of products. You can get a t-shirt, a little book, poster, stickers, or even just simple square prints. When I found the web site, I got really excited because the products they had seemed very cool to me. 

To determine the quality of the products they offer, I ordered a set of 24 square prints. I got to choose which photos on my Instagram account I wanted to print. A few weeks later, my prints came in and let me just say, I am in love with them. They turned out better than I expected and I immediately started to brainstorm how I wanted to display them.

I came up with this idea of an Instagram wall. Instead of spending a lot of money and buying a frame for each print (I had 24 prints...that's a lot of frames), I came up with a cool, retro-ish way to display the prints without breaking the bank. 

Here's what you'll need:

• Jewelry wire (you can find this at any craft store)
• Scissors
• Clothespins
• Thumb tacks
• And of course, your Instagram prints

So the first step is to determine how the arrangement of your prints. I had 24, so I decided I was going to have four rows of six prints. Once you've determined that, take a tack and put in on the wall where you would want your row of photos to start.  Take your jewelry wire (it comes in lots of colors; I just picked black because I liked it best) and wrap the end of it tightly around the tack a couple times.

Next, determine how long you want your row to be and straighten out the jewelry wire to that length. The wire is not going to be completely straight. There will be bends and uneveness in the wire, but I think that gives it more character. After you've determined the length, cut the end with the scissors. Repeat the first step with the second tack. Now you should have one row of wire. Next take your Instagram print and hang it on the wire using a clothespin.

Keep adding the photos on there until you reach the end of the row.

Repeat the process with as many prints you have or how ever many rows your want, and voila! You're done! Easy way to display your photos in a kinda artsy, cool way.

 

I love Instagram because it gives me an excuse to pretend to be an "artsy photographer" when in reality I'm not, and this was an awesome way to display my "artsy" Instagram shots. If you have some memorable Instagram shots that you would like to print out to keep, definitely check out Printstagram. 

Also, you don't have to use just Instagram photos to do this! This is a great way to display some of your favorite family photos, etc. without breaking the bank and buying a bunch of frames.

Let me know what you think of this! 

Til next time,

Hera

P.S. Don't forget to follow me and Naz on Instagram (@heraspeaking @nazday)

Breaking fast with my man, Mitch

Last evening (Aug. 16th), I attended an event that usually happens every year at the Indiana State House. Our wonder governor, Mitch Daniels, hosts an iftar for the Muslim community in Indiana at the State House. This was the first time my family and I attended this event. Since this is the governor's last iftar before he is done with his term, I thought there wouldn't be a better opportunity to meet him in person.

When I walked into the State House, I literally felt like I was in a movie. If you haven't ever visited a government building in your city, I'd say it's definitely worth a walk through. While waiting for Governor Daniels to enter, I admired the architecture and art in the building. There's really so much history in these kinds of structures and it's such a cool environment to be in.

Finally, the governor walked in and people were kind of standing around him. My dad and I joined the small crowd of people around him and he attended to each one, giving everyone some time to chit chat. 

I got my turn and had a short conversation with him about school, etc. He was extremely kind and very attentive! I've never had any complaints with Mitch Daniels because he has been so good to Indiana and its people. I always assumed he was one of those politicians that was a good guy in real life. Having even that small conversation with him confirmed my assumption. 

Soon after, it was time for the program to begin. We heard from many people, including Mitch Daniels of course. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay the whole night (sadface), but even for the short time that he was around, it was a nice experience. I really appreciate his efforts to get to know all the different communities in Indiana, and I hope that the next governor continues with this tradition.

Overall, I had quite the pleasant evening and I felt pretty cool with my formal attire and the super historic, movie-like environment. Below are some pictures from the evening. Enjoy! And let me know if you've ever been to a similar event where you met important people and felt important as well.

Thanks for reading, 

Hera

Instagwam: @heraspeaking

More architecture!

+10 points for the pink tie

lalala waiting for my turn

speech time

selfie

I didn't get a full outfit shot, but for those wondering, here's a glimpse of what I was wearing!

Summer Favorites!

Summer means a lot of sun and scorching hot weather. The past few days have been kind of miserable with all the humidity and sun (but I still prefer summer over winter). In the summer, I keep my makeup super light! That way, it doesn't feel like my face is melting when I do go out. Here are some of my personal favorite makeup items for the summer. They do their job by correcting any imperfections while keeping the look natural, so I look awake, fresh and put together. :)

1. Neutrogena oil-free face moisturizer

I love this stuff. I tend to have dry skin and most moisturizers make me break out, but this one has been working wonders for me. Not only is it a great oil-free moisturizer, but it also has SPF 35. Unlike most people, I don't want a summer tan (already got a natural one going on year round) so the sun blocking aspect of this moisturizer helps with that. According to the back of the bottle, it won't clog pores, it's alcohol- and fragrance-free and it's hypoallergenic. It's about $10 at any drugstore.

2. Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm

Oh em gee, I am in love with this stuff. It's this moisturizing lip balm that has a VERYYY light tint to it. It comes in the CUTEST colors and the packaging just makes you so happy because it's so cute. It also has SPF 20 for a lil sun protection. I absolutely love the little bit of tint it has. Just the perfect about of color on your lips for the summer without the heaviness of a lipstick or lip gloss. If you're not into color, there is also a clear version! These cost about $3 - $5 at any drugstore.

3. Maybelline "the Falsies" Volume Express Mascara

Eye liners, eye shadows, etc. just are too heavy for me to wear during a hot summer day. But I still need something to make my eyes look awake and mascara does the trick! I'm not a very big fan of mascara but this mascara from Maybelline is the one mascara I don't mind wearing! It's super light and doesn't clump. It's also quite long lasting for me and easy to remove at night. This mascara is usually around $5.

4. Neutrogena SkinClearing oil-free makeup

I don't wear foundation in the summer unless I'm going out in the evening. However, this foundation is a life saver. For days I need more coverage, I usually use this foundation. What I love about it is that it's super blendable so a little goes a long way. Also it doesn't clog pores so your skin can still breathe. I just wear a little over my moisturizer wherever I need it and I'm good to go for the rest of the day. This usually costs about $10 at any drugstore.

And that is basically all I use in the summer! What are some of your favorite summer products? Share them with us below or on Facebook! Also, we'd love it if you'd share our page with your friends. :)

Bye lovelies,

Hera

The Price of Bearing Arms: the Abused Amendment

It was the night many had been waiting for. Finally, the time had come for the midnight premiere of the most awaited film of the year, The Dark Knight Rises. What was supposed to be a fun night with family and friends, quickly turned into a nightmare. James Holmes opened fire in a theater in Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring many more. Those 12 people included a six year old girl, an 18 year old high schooler, a 26 year old veteran, and many more. 

Now let's fast forward to about 16 days later. Let's go to Wisconsin to a Sikh Temple, where people are spending time worshiping together. An unidentified man walks in and starts shooting with a gun at every man wearing a turban. Seven died.

Does anyone else notice the problem? It is too easy to access a weapon to kill. Too easy. And by weapon, we would specifically like to mention the gun. Now before some of you go haywire on how that's an American right, for those who may not know, let's have a little American history review.

The second Amendment of the Constitution states:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

There are pros to this amendment. It allows Americans to obtain a gun for recreational activities, or the most argued, for self-defense. But laws regarding guns are too lenient. The fewer guns there are, the less probability there will be for such shootings to occur. Do you really need a fancy gun to keep around the house to protect your kids in case there's another guy with a fancy gun that wants to steal your television? What if we just took the fancy gun out of the picture?

Now, we completely understand the need for guns back when the Constitution was written. The people who came over to this country were pioneers who faced countless dangers in foreign terrories long after the first Europeans stepped foot onto the Americas. In fact, if this were 1789, we would fully support gun laws. However, times have changed. Simply put, guns cause more trouble than they are worth. As I, Naz, have grown older, I've learned that the US, while a great country, is painfully stuck in its traditional ways. Often times, it seems we put our sheer egos and the rights of what we consider to be American over things that make logical sense. So we are not delusional in our thinking that guns will be abolished in the US anytime soon. However, we do propose several solutions into how to better control them.


Primarily, we need to stop acting like guns are no big deal. There are people who use guns everyday for recreational purposes, but that does not change the fact that their primary function is to do physical harm. Due to their nature, we propose the government set up a physical and psychological test that determines who, if anyone, gets to use guns. Nearly every couple of months, we hear stories of mothers killing their children, often using guns. Where did they get the guns? Either the guns were already in their possession or they bought them. It's horrendous these women, who are obviously mentally deranged, can just obtain a gun like it's nothing. Obviously, if someone truly wants to kill their children, they will find other ways to do it. However, that does not mean we shouldn't take out guns as an option. That's like never cleaning your bathroom because it'll simply get dirty again. Remember what I said about logic over emotions? 

Secondly, we propose that there should be control over what kinds of guns people have access to. A father who is not a gun expert, but wants one in case he ever has to protect his family, should not need to buy a big fancy rifle for simply that purpose. In case of self-defense, a "big" gun really is not necessary. However, if someone lives in a more wooded area where there might be a threat of larger animals, or if someone hunts every hunting season, then they can buy a gun that better suits their needs. Another aspect that should be taken into account is financial status. Now you may think I, Hera, might be shallow to think this but think about this logically. Someone who owns a giant mansion and whose wealth is not a secret will probably have a greater chance of being robbed or attacked. I mean, think about. How many home invasion movies have you seen where the victim was NOT rich? Exactly. Financial status should be taken into account when a gun is being sold. 

Being science students, we would't allow ourselves to merely make all these statements without the fancy proof to back it up. In 1994, President Clinton signed a law into action that prevented the use of certain assault weapons such as the ones James Holmes used in the Batman shooting. In addition, guns that could shoot more than 10 rounds at a time were also banned. To put this into perspective, Holmes shot nearly a 100 rounds--without reloading-- during the Colorado massacre. The Brady Campaign did a study in the 90s when this law was put into action and found a 66% drop in assault weapons used in crimes. Not only that, there were 60,000 fewer weapons sold than there would have been if the law wasn't in place.

In 2004, this law was allowed to expire. Whatever one's views on guns may be, it cannot be denied that if the law Clinton had signed had still been in action, Holmes would not have been able to buy an assault weapon that did as much damage as it did. There is no doubt in our minds Holmes could have still bought a gun if he wanted to; however if the proper laws had been in place, he might have not caused as much agony as he did.     

Whether you read this article because you were curious or wanted to read something you agreed with or simply make fun of us for being idiots, we leave you with a final thought. The reason a lot of gun law supporters seem to still support guns after these two traumatic incidents is because they fall into the thinking of "Oh I would never do that" or "My family member has a gun and they would never do that!" or "The person who did these acts was a lunatic! Not everyone who owns a gun will do that!" Well, perhaps they are right but consider this: the Batman shooter and Sikh temple shooter probably did not go through their lives thinking they were going to brutally murder people. They were someone's child, brother, uncle, etc. Unfortunately, despite what psychology can offer us, people are sometimes  unpredictable. Our changing culture, mixed with our intense desire to stay true to the "American way", creates a huge juxtaposition within all of our psyche. It's ultimately a breeding ground for uncertainty. We cannot sit back any longer and passively wait for the next psychological bomb to explode. Like it or not, both of these shooters, and the ones that will come after them are by-products of our society. In a sense, we created them and now we must put aside our egos and take responsibility for them, or suffer the abhorrent consequences. 

We kindly ask you to discuss your thoughts.

Toodles!

Hera&Naz 

Five Things You Never Knew You Needed for College

Hello!

I now officially have a year of college under my belt. So, I thought I'd share some of the things I desperately needed, but didn't have at first when I entered int my college career. That way, all you freshman can avoid the running-around-frantically-trying-to-find-a-ride-to-the-store dance.


1.) Landyard: I have to admit, this is something I myself don't have as of yet. The reason is because I'm just simply too lazy and a lanyard is a boring candidate for things to buy when there's so many other cool items at the store. Trust me, however, when I say you desperately need one of these. When you're a freshman, you'll wish your school ID and dorm key was planted into your skin. You MUST take it everywhere with you. This is an easy and convenient way to do it. Granted, I've heard at some schools it's a sure sign way of telling who the freshman are, but it's better to be labeled as lame than losing your ID or key. I almost lost mine (because I don't have a lanyard) and I almost died.

2.) Water Jug with filter: This is so incredibly important, especially if you're living in a dorm. The water situation in college is not the best. If you're like me and don't drink sink water, your options of getting good, drinkable water are limited. You can either keep getting water bottles--which is what I tried at first--or get the filtered water jug. The problem with water bottles is that first, you keep having to buy new ones, and second, they take up too much space in your already small living quarters. The water jug is SO easy and takes up virtually no space. You can get one for as little as $11 at any store.

3.) An HDMI cord: One the biggest pastimes for college kids is to watch movies (ahem). This will come in handy because you can just play the movie on your laptop and hook it onto anyone's TV. That way, you can move from place to place at your convince. Take caution, however, that is you have a Macbook, there is no HDMI slot. Sorry.

4.) Extra Printer Ink/Calculator batteries: There is nothing worse than having an exam or having a paper due the next day and being out of ink/having your calculator die.Thankfully, my RA had me covered when this happened to me, but I learned my lesson. Everyone needs the extra ink but unless you're a science/math major, the chances of your Calculator's battery running out are slime--especially if you don't have TI-83 or 84. Still, better safe than sorry right?

5.) Ear Plugs: College is a time when you meet lots of different people. Some of these people are painfully loud. I'm not a prude, but the noise pollution in a college dorm is horrendous. Ear plugs come in handy for studying, sleeping, or simply when you need a break from all the craziness.

Hope this helped! Have an awesome and safe year at college!

Love,
Naz

Ramadan Tips & Tricks

Hey guys,

Since we're well into Ramadan, we thought we'd share some tips that we found on how to maximize your resources and fast in the healthiest way possible. Because your food source is limited this time of month, it's so important to eat the correct things in order to keep up your strength and keep going strong.

Obviously, the quantities of these items can be modified depending on your personal needs but this is just a rough guide.

When waking up for Suhoor, try eating: 
-1 bowl of oatmeal (if you don't like oatmeal, try a wheat based cereal like Kashi's Autumn Wheat)
-1 bowl of yogurt with any fruit on top and granola
-1 banana, apple, or any other type of fruit (actually, eat as much fruit as you want)
-2 boiled eggs
-Lots of water
-A multi-vitamin

and try to avoid these things:

-Any fried foods: Not only are they heavy and weight you down,  I find they also tend to make you thirstier, which you want to avoid doing to your already dehydrated body.
-Sugary cereals like Cocoa Puffs or Fruity Pebbles. Like I said before, since you're going to eat limited food, it's vital you eat the things that are going to maximize nutrients to your body. These types of cereals just don't cut it.
-Soft drinks, coffee, or any caffeine based drinks: Being avid coffee drinkers, it's hard for us not to indulge in a cup or two after Iftar or doing Suhoor. However, since you will likely be dehydrated, this is the worst thing you can do. Drink a cup, if you must, but mostly you should be drinking water more than anything else.

If you're a person who exercises daily, you can still get your workout in! Just do a little less than you normally would. For example, instead of doing 30 minutes, try for 15 or 20. Often, the best time to do this is an hour and or so after Iftar. It may seem like a time crunch (especially if you're praying Taraweeh), but if you're only doing 15 or 20 minutes, the time goes by fast and you'll still get enough sleep to wake up for Suhoor the next morning. Remember to keep drinking plenty of water. In fact, whether you choose to exercise or not, you should keep a water bottle with you after Iftar and drink it throughout the night/morning.

Try these tips and let us know your Ramadan techniques. Happy fasting!

Stay strong, friends!

-Naz