Ranking the world's best theme parks

1. Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure had a big year with the debut of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, our winner this year for Best New Roller Coaster. It also features our Best Table Service Restaurant winner, Mythos Restaurant, and three of our top 10 attractions overall.

2. Disneyland

Attendance might have been down at Walt Disney's original theme park in 2019, but the park looked better than ever thanks to its Project Stardust renovations, and the smaller crowds just made the park's classic attractions all the more enjoyable.

3. Efteling

A two-time winner of our Best Park honor, Efteling remains our readers' pick as the best theme park in Europe, with additions to its Fairytale Forest and a new 4D film from Academy Award winners Aardman in 2019.

4. Tokyo DisneySea

A six-time winner for Best Park, Tokyo DisneySea continues to wow visitors with its beauty, detail and line-up of amazing attractions, including a new, plussed version of Disney's Soarin' this year.

5. Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

Last year's winner in this category returns to the top five after its first full year of operation in 2019. According to our readers, the world's largest indoor theme park is also its best.

Caring for Your Pet: Five Ways to Show you Love Animals

Having a pet can be a stressful and exhausting experience. No matter how trying your pet is, you will always love them. Caring for your pet is a great joy. Here are just five ways to show them how much you care.

Caring for your pet

Exercise With Your Pet

Exercising your pet is relaxing for both you and your pet. It helps them to burn off stored energy and it gives you a chance to connect with your special friend. Whether it is throwing a ball at the park or teasing them with a ball of yarn, you will feel a special connection with your animal. Regular exercise is an important part of keeping your pet healthy. Without it, they can become overweight and more susceptible to illness.

Feed Your Pet Sufficiently

Feeding your pet is another way to show how much you care. Careful consideration when choosing what food or treats are best for your breed of animal is a great way to keep them healthy and happy. Checking online, going to pet specific stores and checking with your veterinarian are just some ways to get information about what foods and treats are recommended.

Take Your Pet for Check-Ups

Regular veterinarian visits are not only good for your pet but can be good for your wallet as well. Early detection of illness, like food allergies and urinary tract infections, can help prevent or cure these problems before they become serious or extremely expensive. Many times homeopathic remedies can be used in the prevention and cure of these types of illness and for overall natural pet health.

Get Your Pet Groomed

Regular grooming is a great way to care for your pet.

• Clipping their nails will prevent problems with walking.
• Brushing their teeth reduces bad breath.
• Bathing them can reduce dander and itching and will make your pet more comfortable.
• Brushing an animal’s coat helps to keep their hair loss to a minimum and it is a terrific way to give them the attention they crave.

Keep a Regular Schedule

Keeping a regular schedule is one of the most important things you can do for your pet and for yourself. Your pet will know when they need to go out, take a nap, play or get ready for bed. This will help their temperament and will help you create a great relationship with your pet.

No matter what animal you call a friend, taking care of them is an important part of letting them know you love them.

Pregnancy shopping checklist: Second trimester

Your belly is growing, and your life is shifting to accommodate lots of changes. Maternity clothing is entering the picture, but it's also a great time to start shopping for your baby – before you're too tired and big-bellied to want to spend much time in stores.

Our handy second-trimester shopping checklist will help you figure out what to buy now. And don't forget to move on to our third-trimester shopping checklist when it's time.

Maternity wear

Your belly is expanding, but your pants aren't. Now's the time to explore the world of maternity clothes, but that doesn't mean sacrificing style. A nice pair of bootcut jeans, a tunic top, or a pretty wrap dress flatters almost every blossoming body type. Our checklist of maternity wear essentials can help you shop.

Sleep aids

By now you may need some extra help getting a good night's sleep. Fans, noise machines, earplugs, and body pillows are all useful aids for helping pregnant women get their zzz's.

Glider or rocker

Late-night feedings will be easier on you and more soothing for your baby if you can spend them in a rocking chair or glider. The back-and-forth motion calms a crying baby and eases lower back pain. While you're at it, add a matching footstool or ottoman for propping up tired, swollen feet during pregnancy.

Newborn clothes

You'll probably find it impossible to resist buying those adorable little booties, wee knit caps, and pint-size stretch suits you see in the baby department. Your little one will look adorable in all of them – either go ahead and splurge or add them to your registry. Visit Baby clothes: The first six weeks for help picking out a well-rounded selection for your baby.

Changing table

You'll need a place to change your baby's diapers. A bureau or low dresser with a cushioned changing pad will work just fine. But a stand-alone changing table can be nice, too.

5 Easy Kids Party Food Ideas

Looking for the best kids party food ideas? Here are 5 winning dishes guaranteed to please!

I can’t tell you the number of kids parties I’ve been to where Mum has created an amazing party food spread … only to have half of it left on the plates. Pinterest has inspired us to serve lovingly crafted cake pops and sandwiches shaped like princess crowns…but do the kids actually appreciate them? Unfortunately, the answer is mostly ‘no’.

But don’t despair, there are plenty of party foods that children love, and that I see devoured at party after party. I’ve created this list based on what I know from my own extensive experience, but also from asking for input from other mums. These foods were the clear winners.

You’ll find that, for the most part, this is a pretty basic list – many are party favourites from when we were kids, and they remain just as popular today.  To satisfy the more modern mama, I’ve included some fancy serving suggestions, along with a few new dishes.

1. Watermelon

This fruit gets a listing all of it’s own, because it is always such a hit. Watermelon is sweet and juicy…and also healthy and the easiest thing to prepare. Just cut it into small slices and serve. Watermelon is also the perfect fruit to cut into star or flower shapes using a cookie cutter. Or add a popsicle stick to create watermelon pops. Perfect for a summer party.

2. Chopped Fruit

Fruit platters are a favourite with parents, because they’re healthy. Most kids will eat a piece or two, especially strawberries and grapes. You can make your chopped fruit a little fancy by threading it onto popsicle sticks or blunt wooden skewers to create a fruit wand. I will include this proviso though – most kids will only eat a one kebab at the most. So don’t get too hopeful about this healthy dish!

3. Potato Chips & Popcorn

I’m sorry to say that a bag of potato chips will likely be one of the biggest hits on the party table. You can substitute popcorn if you must. Manage portions and pretty up the presentation by serving chips or popcorn in little paper cups.

4. Cocktail Frankfurts

Do yourself a favour and don’t look at the ingredients. Just boil them up, pop them in a bowl and voila, the kids will devour them.

5. Pigs In Blankets

If you can’t bring yourself to serve boring frankfurts, wrap them in a square of puff pastry, brushed with a little tomato sauce, and baked in a moderate oven for 12-15 minutes. Now they’re posh and yummy!

Tips to Take Care of Your Baby in Winter

We all love the winter season, but when it gets extremely cold outside, life gets tough for us. During winters, all you would want to do is stay cooped up in the house and if you are a new mom, you would want to protect your baby from the harsh winds blowing outside. As your baby’s immune system will be still developing, he will be susceptible to colds and infections and that is bound to leave you worried. But by taking preventive measures, you can keep your little one warm and safe. Read on to learn about newborn baby care during the winter season.

Problems Caused By Virus in Winters

Winter is also the season of the flu. It’s that time of the year when the virus spread easily and affect anyone and everyone in a matter of time. This gives rise to the typical winter diseases such as:

• Influenza and bronchiolitis
• Croup as well as rhinovirus
• A variety of respiratory sensitive virus, which affect the respiratory tract and lead to cough and severe breathing problems

Symptoms of Winter Infections in Babies

Most of the infections that occur in winter have strong symptoms, which make them easier to be spotted. If your baby has an infection, you will notice the following symptoms in him –

• He may cough severely and might even vomit
• Your baby may have trouble breathing; he may gasp or take small breaths
• He may make wheezing sounds while sleeping or even after coughing
• He may have pain in the chest due to inflamed lungs as a result of a respiratory infection
• He may have a runny nose, fever, cough, with a headache
• He may feel fatigued

STEP BY STEP MCALOO TIKKI BURGER RECIPE

McAloo Tikki Burger Recipe

McAloo tikki burger recipe is a very popular fast food served in India. Aloo tikki burger is the combination of crispy Indian spiced aloo tikki (potato patties) and western cheese burger flavoured with the tomato ketchup and mayonnaise.

Course: Snacks

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 Burgers

Author: Rachna's Kitchen

Ingredients

• *********For aloo tikka*********
• 2 medium or 1 cup potatoes boiled and peeled
• 2 tablespoon rice powder
• 3 tablespoon poha chiwda, Flattened rice also called beaten rice
• 1/2 cup green peas boiled
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• A pinch of sea salt
• Black salt to taste
• Cilantro or coriander leaves 3 tablespoons finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon olive oil for shallow frying the patties
• *********For coating aloo tikka*********
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs or 4 bread slices
• 1 tablespoon corn flour
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• a pinch of salt
• Water as required
• *********Buns & assembling the burger**********
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 5 burger buns
• 5 cheese slice
• 3 tablespoon organic mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoon ketchup
• 5 Curly lettuce leaves
• 1 large tomato sliced
• 1 large Onion sliced

Instructions

1. Step 1. Boil potatoes and peel the skin. Grate potatoes instead of mashing with hands. It makes difference. Mashing with hand may release starch from potatoes and they turn gluey.
2. Step 2. Add ground rice powder.
3. Step 3. Add poha and mix with a spoon. It will start soaking moisture from the potatoes.
4. Step 4. Add boiled peas.
5. Step 5. Add spices red chili powder, chat masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, sea salt and black salt.
6. Step 6. Mix it again. Keep aside.
7. Step 7. Let's prepare bread crumb. Pulse bread ( It means put it in your food processor or blender or grinder and briefly pressing the "run" button several times) in a grinder for 30 seconds. Place the skillet on medium high heat. Spread the ground bread and turn the heat to low.
8. Stir to avoid burn.
9. After 5 minutes of slow cooking, all moisture evaporates from bread crumbs. After cooling down they turn crunchy. Take them out in a bowl.
10. Step 8. In another bowl, add cornflour, paprika, cumin powder and a pinch of salt.
11. Add water to make thin solution. It took me around 6-7 tablespoon of water.
12. Step 9. Place a skillet on medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Let it heat.
13. Step 10. Make a potato patty from mixture in Step 6 and sink into corn flour solution in step 8.
14. Step 11. Then coat it into bread crumbs.
15. Step 12. Place the patty on hot skillet. Then lower the heat and fry it till it changes colour to golden. Flip it to another side. Like wise prepare other patties.
16. Step 13. When patties are done. Take them out. Put some butter on skillet and roast the buns also on medium heat. Roast the other side but don't let the colour change.
17. Let's assemble the burger
18. Step 14. Take the base of burger and spread tomato ketchup and a good quality mayonnaise.
19. Step 15. Then arrange lettuce, potato patty, onion slices and tomato slices.
20. Step 16. Then add little ketchup and mayonnaise. Put a slice of cheese. Cover the burger with top bread.
21. Aloo tikki burger is ready to serve. You can pair it with mocha iced coffee or mango iced tea.

hakka noodles recipe | veg hakka noodles recipe | vegetable noodles

hakka noodles recipe | veg hakka noodles recipe | vegetable noodles with detailed photo and video recipe. basically, a vegetable noodles recipe prepared in hakka cuisine style. it is a popular street food of india and is usually served as starters or even for the main course.
hakka noodles recipe | veg hakka noodles recipe | vegetable noodles with step by step photo and video recipe. primarily, hakka noodles are very similar to veg noodles recipe. however, in india, more popularly known as hakka veg noodles. hakka cuisine is actually an indian adaptation of original taiwanese hakka dishes. it has evolved to be one of the popular indian street foods. especially with indo chinese recipes thriving in india. hakka noodles and schezwan noodles have easily marked its presence.
there is a subtle difference between normal noodles recipe and veg hakka noodles recipe. firstly, the main difference between those two is the style of preparations. basically, this recipe is tossed fried recipe wheres as noodles are a stir-fried recipe. secondly, hakka noodles is prepared using the thin rice noodles whereas noodles recipe can be prepared with any type of noodles. lastly, hakka noodles are spicier compared to the plain noodles recipe. hakka cuisine is uniquely identified for its spicy recipes it has to offer.
furthermore, i would like to highlight few tips and tricks for great hakka noodles recipe. firstly, always prepare the noodles or any indo chinese recipe on high flame. however, do not overcook the vegetables and try to keep its crunchiness. secondly, if possible use single handled fry pan or wok for this recipe. with the single handle, you can easily toss the noodles and veggies on a high flame. unfortunately, i did not have it and i had to prepare it with my normal pan. lastly, noodles are an open-ended recipe. it can be cooked according to the spice level required and with the choice of vegetables.

A Guide for First-Time Parents

Getting Help After the Birth

Consider getting help during this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming. While in the hospital, talk to the experts around you. Many hospitals have feeding specialists or lactation consultants who can help you get started nursing or bottle-feeding. Nurses also are a great resource to show you how to hold, burp, change, and care for your baby.

For in-home help, you might want to hire a baby nurse, postpartum doula, or a responsible neighborhood teen to help you for a short time after the birth. Your doctor or the hospital can help you find information about in-home help, and might make a referral to home health agencies.

Relatives and friends often want to help too. Even if you disagree on certain things, don't dismiss their experience. But if you don't feel up to having guests or you have other concerns, don't feel guilty about placing restrictions on visitors.

Handling a Newborn

If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating. Here are a few basics to remember:

• Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your baby. Newborns don't have a strong immune system yet, so they're at risk for infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands.
• Support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down.
• Never shake your newborn, whether in play or in frustration. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain and even death. If you need to wake your infant, don't do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek.
• Make sure your baby is securely fastened into the carrier, stroller, or car seat. Limit any activity that could be too rough or bouncy.
• Remember that your newborn is not ready for rough play, such as being jiggled on the knee or thrown in the air.

Bonding and Soothing

Bonding, probably one of the most pleasurable parts of infant care, happens during the sensitive time in the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their infant. Physical closeness can promote an emotional connection.

For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in other areas, such as physical growth. Another way to think of bonding is "falling in love" with your baby. Children thrive from having a parent or other adult in their life who loves them unconditionally.

Begin bonding by cradling your baby and gently stroking him or her in different patterns. Both you and your partner can also take the opportunity to be "skin-to-skin," holding your newborn against your own skin while feeding or cradling.

Babies, especially premature babies and those with medical problems, may respond to infant massage. Certain types of massage may enhance bonding and help with infant growth and development. Many books and videos cover infant massage — ask your doctor for recommendations. Be careful, however — babies are not as strong as adults, so massage your baby gently.

Babies usually love vocal sounds, such as talking, babbling, singing, and cooing. Your baby will probably also love listening to music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are other good ways to stimulate your infant's hearing. If your little one is being fussy, try singing, reciting poetry and nursery rhymes, or reading aloud as you sway or rock your baby gently in a chair.

Some babies can be unusually sensitive to touch, light, or sound, and might startle and cry easily, sleep less than expected, or turn their faces away when someone speaks or sings to them. If that's the case with your baby, keep noise and light levels low to moderate.

Swaddling, which works well for some babies during their first few weeks, is another soothing technique first-time parents should learn. Proper swaddling keeps a baby's arms close to the body while allowing for some movement of the legs. Not only does swaddling keep a baby warm, but it seems to give most newborns a sense of security and comfort. Swaddling also may help limit the startle reflex, which can wake a baby.

Here's how to swaddle a baby:

• Spread out the receiving blanket, with one corner folded over slightly.
• Lay the baby face-up on the blanket with his or her head above the folded corner.
• Wrap the left corner over the body and tuck it beneath the back of the baby, going under the right arm.
• Bring the bottom corner up over the baby's feet and pull it toward the head, folding the fabric down if it gets close to the face. Be sure not to wrap too tightly around the hips. Hips and knees should be slightly bent and turned out. Wrapping your baby too tightly may increase the chance of hip dysplasia.
• Wrap the right corner around the baby, and tuck it under the baby's back on the left side, leaving only the neck and head exposed. To make sure your baby is not wrapped too tight, make sure you can slip a hand between the blanket and your baby's chest, which will allow comfortable breathing. Make sure, however, that the blanket is not so loose that it could become undone.
• Babies should not be swaddled after they're 2 months old. At this age, some babies can roll over while swaddled, which increases their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

veggie burger recipe | vegetarian burger | veg cheese burger

veggie burger recipe | vegetarian burger | veg cheese burger with detailed photo and video recipe. an easy and quick healthy burger option made with mixed veggie patties and cheese slice. it is an ideal quick and healthy meal and can be served for morning breakfast, lunch, dinner and also a snack. the recipe follows basic vegetable toppings and dressing as practised in indian street food outlets to make it more effective.
as i explained earlier, i have used a minimal approach when it comes to the vegetable toppings. as a matter of fact, i have used only sliced cucumber and tomato slices in terms of vegetable. i was planning to use sliced beetroot slices, lettuce and also boiled potato slices. but at the same time, i wanted to make something like street food. hence i finalised with the above 2 veggies. in addition, i also added pickled jalapeno, which is not a mandatory option, but would add the salty, sour taste to it. having said that, i have added all the necessary spices and flavour to the patty and it should be sufficient for this burger. to the patty mixture, i have added chaat masala which should supply the flavours for a street style veg burger.
furthermore, i would like to conclude with few tips, suggestions and variations for a perfect veggie burger recipe. firstly, i have used store-bought burger buns for this recipe and you can use any desired burger bun for it. in addition you can also use pav bread or even sandwich bread slices for this recipe. secondly, the patties are multipurpose and you can use it for roll, paratha and also for chaat recipes. lastly, the shape and thickness of the patties are completely optional and you can shape it to any desired shape or thickness. i personally like thick and meaty patties in my burger, but it is completely optional.