CHAI TIME

One of my favorite things to drink when we honeymooned in India was Masala Chai tea.  We would have it after almost every meal, like a dessert, because it's so sweet and delicious.  Since then, I've tried many different chai teas at coffee shops and while some have been good, I have yet to try one that tastes just like the ones we had in India.  How was I going to get that same chai tea again without jet setting half way across the world?  Well, I decided to make it at home.  And after a lot of tweaking and trying, I think I have found a recipe that tastes almost like the ones we enjoyed so much in India.

Chai Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 black tea bags
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  

Directions:

1. Place your teabags in a small pot filled with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.
2. Once the tea has steeped, lower the heat, remove the bags and stir in the spices.
3. Pour 5 tablespoons of condensed milk into your cup, then add the tea and stir until creamy.
4. Feel like you've jet setter to India (without the jet lag and expensive flight)...and enjoy! :-)

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EAT, PRAY, LOVE MOVIE REVIEW

It came in second at the box office this weekend, but last place in my opinion. To sum it up in one word...DISAPPOINTING! Although my hopes weren't high from the start about how good the movie would actually be, I did a least think that there would be beautiful scenery shots of Italy, India and Bali that would sort of make up for the $10.50 cost of the movie. However, there were not. The only cool part to me was when Liz and her friend went to Naples for some true Italian pizza...and where did they go? None other than Da Michele...the oldest (1870) pizzeria in Naples, and best pizzeria in all of Italy in my opinion. I was there in 2008 and had their classic Margherita Pizza...

Other than that, It truly was a waste of two hours and thirteen minutes of my life. And honestly, having Julia Roberts play the role of Liz Gilbert was not the best casting choice in my opinion. The entire movie, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Julia was playing the part...I think the role should have gone more to a "B List" actress. In conclusion, don't waste your money or your time going to see the movie in the theatre (just wait to see it on t.v.). But, if you are so inclined to join the Eat, Pray, Love phenomenon...spend your money more wisely and buy the book. The book was WAY better!

EAT, PRAY, LOVE THE MOVIE

The day is here!!! After reading Eat, Pray, Love what seems like forever ago...I am so psyched about going to see the movie this weekend. When I heard it was being made into a movie I was pretty excited. The general concept of this book is self-discovery and looking inward, not in a self-indulgent way but in a desire to find out what REALLY makes you happy. (And who doesn't need to be reminded of this once in awhile?). The main character, Elizabeth Gilbert, travels to Italy, India, and Bali (Indonesia) for one year, and learns about herself along the way. Having traveled to two out of the three countries- Italy...and India...(Bali Indonesia is still on my jet set list and I promise I will make it there one day)...I know that even if I am utterly disappointed in the movie (and Julia Roberts' portrayal of Liz), I will still love looking at the scenery of these three incredibly amazing countries and being reminded of why I love to travel!!!Hope you all have a great weekend! I'll let you know what I thought about the movie on Monday.

SIPPING ON LASSI JUICE

A smoothie is one of my all time favorite drinks! It's healthy, refreshing, and it definitely will fill you up. Well Jet Setters...a Lassi is basically a yogurt-based North Indian version of a smoothie and it's oh so good! When my husband and I went to India, we were served one upon arrival and instantly became hooked.
My favorite one that I had was a Mango Lassi, and since we've been back I've made all different ones- mango, raspberry, strawberry, banana...you name it. And because it's so easy to do, I wanted to share the recipe with you so that you can make one and feel like you've jet setted to India right in the comfort of your own home. Try it and you'll be Sipping on Lassi Juice all of the time!

RECIPE: MANGO LASSI

In a blender mix the following until smooth:

-1 pound of mango (fresh or frozen)

-1 cup of whole milk

-1/3 cup of sugar

-1 pint of vanilla yogurt (fresh or frozen)

- Serve in glass and garnish with mango slice!

- Add dash of Cardamom (optional)

{photo: Mango Lassi}

JET SET SMART SWEETHEARTS

It's fun to jetset with friends, family, or even by yourself, but there is nothing better than jetsetting with the one you love. And when it comes to those special times in life, like getting engaged, planning a honeymoon, or celebrating anniversaries, there's no better way to do it than with a trip.

I got engaged at Ashford Castle in Ireland, celebrated my honeymoon in India, and went to Paris for my 1-year wedding anniversary. (Check out pic below).

Speaking of special times, some of you reading this may have gotten to JetSetSmart through http://www.vowweddings.wordpress.com/ and if you have, then you already know what a talented and creative Wedding Consultant Laura is. For those of you that didn't get to this website through hers, and are planning a wedding (or know someone who is), then you should definitely check her out. She is an incredible Wedding Planner, who has helped numerous brides and grooms plan their special day. As a testimony to how good she is, she's also been featured in InStyle Weddings for her fantastic ideas. By the way, Laura happens to be one of my best friends and helped me plan my special day!

If you are getting ready to celebrate a special occasion and want some help picking a place to JetSet to, then you know where to find me. Reach out to me through my blog by leaving a comment, or shoot me an email at askus@jetsetsmart.com and I can help you plan! Happy JetSetting Sweethearts!