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Big Patties: Five Unique Hamburger Ideas

March 27, 2012 By

The humble hamburger is a great go-to meal, especially when you don’t have a lot of time. But with a few simple ingredients, you can elevate the fast food staple into something truly special. Here are five ways to make your burger a little better.

Make a patty out of ground turkey and mix it with a little dill. Stuff the middle with a chunk of Brie cheese and grill until the meat is cooked and the cheese melts. Serve on a roll with pickles and lettuce.

Mix Chinese five-spice powder into your ground beef to give it a rich, complex flavor. Once the patty has cooked, glaze the top with a soy ginger sauce and serve with cilantro, cabbage and pickled carrots.

Make a Chicago-style hot dog burger by topping a traditional patty with sweet relish, chopped white onions and hot peppers. A little ketchup and mustard will bring this one over the top.

For a classic French bistro take on the hamburger, gently caramelize onions in a pan and ladle them generously over the cooked burger along with a slice of Gouda cheese and crisp, thick-cut bacon. Serve on a buttery brioche roll.

To give your burgers a special kick, mix in adobo seasoning, red onion and finely grated lime peels into your ground beef. Grill ears of corn until kernels are just cooked, strip the kernels off and mix them with queso fresco and a little bit of mayonnaise to top the burgers.

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The Sassiest Decade: Three Titans of 90s Indie Rock

March 23, 2012 By

The 1990s were a strange time for underground music – with the success of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, labels signed every act they could find in search of the next big thing. Punk and indie labels that had been around since the 80s expanded to the point that they were almost as big as the majors. While this feeding frenzy was going on, the indie rock genre was experiencing a renaissance. These are just a few important bands of the era:

Pavement
Pavement’s recording history sits tidily in the 90s, with only a couple of releases outside that decade and appropriately, they are the quintessential 90s indie band. Touring incessantly while releasing cult classics like Slanted and Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Pavement melded the attitude and ethics of punk with jangly guitar rock, folk, and garage and in doing so helped define the sound of alternative rock.

Yo La Tengo
Formed in the 80s and still active today, Yo La Tengo really hit their stride in the 90s with a sudden burst of releases throughout the decade and a hectic tour schedule. Their sound, a marriage of ethereal pop, bursts of harsh feedback, and the musical sensibility of Loaded-era Velvet Underground, typifies the underground style that was the backbone of their label, Matador Records.

Neutral Milk Hotel
This ever-changing, nomadic troupe of musicians, led by Jeff Mangum, achieved only moderate success with their second album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea at the time of its release in 1998. However, the album has since been recognized as an indie pop classic and the band has garnered a huge fanbase. Eclectic instrumentation, cryptic lyrics, and a homemade feel  give NMH’s weirdly epic compositions their unique sound.

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Delicious Snacks to Promote Wellness

March 15, 2012 By

What we eat affects our physical and mental health. If you're looking for a snack, here are some choices that promote wellness for body and mind

Dark chocolate
It's true: dark chocolate is an emotionally and physically satisfying snack. The cocoa contains the antioxidant flavanol, which improves blood flow to the brain.

Whole wheat toast
While we might try to avoid them, good carbs like whole wheat can trigger the release of serotonin in the brain, which improves your mood! Stick with healthy whole grains and you have an uplifting snack.

Seafood
Seafood contains selenium, which helps sharpen boost spirits. You only need a tiny amount of selenium each day, but failing to consume enough can lead to a decline in mood and brain power. Seafood also contains omega-3 fatty acids, another safeguard against depression.

Beans, greens, and lean proteins
Combine foods rich in folic acid (such as beans and greens) with foods rich in B12 (meat, poultry, fish, and dairy) for a 1-2 punch of nutrition that fights mood and nerve disorders. Try a spinach salad with salmon for starters.

Vitamin D fortified foods
Vitamin D naturally occurs in only a few foods, but it is essential to a positive mood and good nutrition. Luckily there are many products fortified with vitamin D like juices, cereal, and milk. Try to incorporate these into your diet daily.

 

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Stories of the Sunshine State: Four Great Movies Set in Florida

March 13, 2012 By

Florida is a nexus for all kinds of strories. The state has inspired movie-makers for generations, and continues to do so today. Here are just a few great movies that were set and filmed in Florida.

The Cocoanuts
This classic Marx Brothers movie set in Depression-era South Florida features some of the troupe's funniest bits and liveliest musical numbers.

Great Expectations
Starring Ethan Hawke, this update of the classic Charles Dickens novel features many scenes filmed at Cà d'Zan, a beautiful historic residence in Sarasota.

Key Largo
This classic crime thriller, featuring the always stellar combination of director John Huston and star Humphrey Bogart, takes place in a Key Largo hotel. The dangerous nature of some of the guests is revealed as a hurricane approaches.

Marley & Me
Central to the plot of this bittersweet story is the protagonists’ move from the brutal winters of Michigan to balmy Palm Beach, where they meet the dog who will change their lives.

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Smartest Magazines For Women

March 8, 2012 By

Print lives! Even in our days of Facebook and iPads, printed magazines offer tactile and visual pleasures all their own. Here are five of the most delightful women's magazines available today:

W Magazine
Full of sopisticated takes on style and living, W is a highly sophisticated fashion magazine. Gorgeous photography and great articles fill this elegant, over-sized publication, making it an essential read.

O, The Oprah Magazine
This relatively new magazine by Oprah Winfrey is all about empowering women and encouraging personal growth. Covering a wide range of topics, everything from fitness to career choices, this magazine is a valuable asset for the 21st century woman.

Prevention
With an emphasis on family health, Prevention works off of the basic premise that little changes can yield big results. It offers a friendly voice on issues of health, exercise, and nutrition, and is full of comprehensive and intelligent writing.

Bust
Tapping into women's issues intelligently and with a strong feminist perspective, Bust is a groundbreaking lifestye magazine. Its writing covers pop culture, news, music and book reviews, and a strong editorial voice that a strong, independent woman can read with pride.

Cooking Light
Unlike a lot of other food magazines, Cooking Light matches recipes with smart writing on health and fitness issues. This magazine is very educational and doesn't condescend, making it a good resource for nutritional information.

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Aromatherapy: What Is It And How Can It Improve Your Life?

February 28, 2012 By
Aromatherapy is the art of using essential plant oils to enhance psychological and physical wellbeing. The oils are burned and inhaled into the lungs, offering both aromatic pleasure and therapeutic benefits. Read on to learn more about this ages-old practice:
 
History
The term ‘aromatherapy’ came into being during the twentieth century but the foundations of the practice date back many hundreds of years across a variety of cultures. The Chinese used aromatic plants to improve mood and wellbeing, the Egyptians created oil extracts for medicinal purposes, and the Greeks are known for having harnessed the health benefits of plants and their oils. 
 
Ways of Practicing
There are three main ways of practicing aromatherapy: aerial diffusion, direct inhalation, and topical application. Aerial diffusion centers on fragrancing and/or disinfecting the air, direct inhalation is used for the treatment of respiratory problems and congestion, and topical application involves aromatherapy in the form of compresses, baths, massages, and skin care.
 
Basic Theory
Those who champion aromatherapy believe that it functions in two main ways: through the influence of aromas on the brain (via the olfactory system) and the pharmacological effects of essential oils on the human body. Practitioners believe that, while it hasn’t been proven as a means of permanently curing any conditions, aromatherapy aids the body’s natural healing process and improves the immune system.
 
Health Benefits
Practitioners of aromatherapy hold that the inhaled aroma from essential plant oils can offer a host of notable health benefits, including pain relief, mood enhancement, increased cognitive function, and improved immune, respiratory, and circulatory systems. They also believe that aromatherapy can offer an excellent natural compliment or alternative to a variety of traditional medical treatments.
 
Some Examples
Each plant-based essential oil used in aromatherapy offers a different variety of specific health benefits. Here are some common and highly effective oils employed for aromatherapeutic purposes: lavendin oil, which is used for helping with skin conditions such as lesions, insect bites, eczema, and dryness, peppermint oil, which is used for asthma, nausea, vertigo, and sinusitis, and rosewood oil, which is used for acne, colds, fever, oily skin, and flu symptoms.
 
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Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System

February 23, 2012 By

If you’re looking to stay as healthy as possible, a good way to prevent sickness is to focus on boosting your body’s immunity to the germs it encounters on a daily basis. Here are some natural ways to help you fend off everything from the common cold to more serious forms of illness:

Reduce Stress
A variety of scientists today are exploring the impact that emotional and mental stress can have on the human immune system. Since stress is a difficult thing to measure empirically, no significant body of hard scientific evidence exists for the connection between stress and immunity, but practitioners of both traditional and alternative medicine recommend stress reduction as a factor in maintaining a healthy immune system. Some ways to reduce stress include regular exercise, adapting a personal meditation practice, and building a small period for rest and recuperation into your daily schedule.
 
Eat Well
Scientists have known for a long time that people who live in impoverished conditions and are malnourished possess greater vulnerability to infectious diseases. The simplest way to address the connection between immunity and dietary intake is to strive toward eating a varied and nutrient-rich diet consisting mainly of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Strive for an eating strategy that maintains low levels of saturated fat intake. It may also be beneficial to take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement to ensure that you meet all of your body’s micronutrient needs. 
 
General Health
Scientists believe that the common defining factors of a healthy lifestyle are key components in maintaining a strong immune system. These factors include leading a smoke-free life, avoiding unhealthy weight gain, obtaining adequate sleep each night, controlling your blood pressure, remaining physically active, and drinking only in moderation.

Actively Maintain Your Health
On top of maintaining your general health, it is a good idea to exercise active prevention when it comes to maintaining your immune system’s strength. Some ways to do this are to regularly wash your hands, clean produce vigorously before eating, cook meats thoroughly, and get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and category of risk. 

Vitamin D
There are many vitamins and minerals purported to have potentially beneficial effects on the human immune system, and Vitamin D is a powerhouse among them. Researchers have found that Vitamin D plays an important role in strengthening the body’s ability to fight off invading viruses and bacteria. Since Vitamin D comes mainly from sun exposure, it is especially deficient in the human body during the winter months. Many medical experts recommend taking an extra supplementation of Vitamin D on top of your regular daily multivitamin.
 
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Perfect Paper: Five DIY Stationery Ideas

February 16, 2012 By

Personalized stationery is a great way to add a little fun to a letter or note, and there are some things you just can’t do over e-mail. If you’re the crafty type, it’s easy and fun to make your own stationery. Here are five great ideas to get you started:

For a really unique stationery presentation, take heavy, colored paper and embroider designs and shapes on them. Use bright, colorful thread and create a captivating design for a special note. Or just stitch a decorative border along one side of the paper.

Rubber stamps are also a great way to give a little visual interest to stationery. You can use a variety of ink or paints, but one really attractive method is using embossing powder and a hard surface to give your project a classy look.

One nice way to kick plain note cards up a notch is by using vintage fabric or wallpaper on the outside. Use Wonder-Under or another sheet glue to attach them, then add decorative stitching around the outside.

One clever way to add a little visual style to stationery is by making a pinhole pattern in the paper. Print out a template and then punch out holes every few centimeters – not enough to rip the paper, but just enough to communicate your design.

Block printing is a great way to add a decorative border or backing to stationery. You can use several different patterns for a more complex look, or just stick with simple geometric designs.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2012 By

Best wishes for happiness on Valentine's Day and every day.

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Five Most Romantic Songs For Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2012 By
Nothing will get you in a Valentine’s Day mood more quickly than romantic music. Whether you’re looking for songs to play as background ambiance during a Cupid Day date or just some tunes to enjoy on your own as you pine for your special someone, here are five of the most heart-stirring songs out there:
 
"The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra
This Sinatra classic offers sweet, passionate lyrics and a timeless message about love. An added benefit: it’s the kind of song that's easy and fun to dance along with, so it’s an especially good choice if you’re looking to put something romantic on the sound system and get cheek to cheek with your partner. 
 
"Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers
This song has perhaps become best known as the soundtrack to the sensuous clay-sculpting scene in Ghost, but you don’t have to be sitting at a potter’s wheel to relish the tune’s soaring romantic ambience. "Unchained Melody" captures longing like almost no other piece of music out there.
 
"Je T’aime…Moi Non Plus" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin
This sensuous French song combines breathy vocals, alluring instrumentals, and a tone of passionate longing. It will create the perfect ambience for a candlelit evening with your object of Valentine’s Day amour.
 
"Fields of Gold" by Sting
This sweet song about love in a rural setting has an otherworldly romantic quality that will make it perfect for your iPod while you take a dreamy Valentine’s Day walk. It’s also ideal tune to play on your iPod dock while you and your sweetheart are enjoying a Cupid Day picnic outdoors. 
 
"I’ll Stand By You" by The Pretenders
This 90’s hit is as fresh today as it was ten years ago. The lyrics capture perfectly what it means to have a close connection with another person, whether it’s a friendship or a romantic relationship. The song is an especially great one to send along to your special someone for a Valentine’s Day listening treat. 
 
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