In May 2010, I followed the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old pilgrimage route, across Northern Spain. In thirty days, I covered over 500 miles on foot, carrying all my belongings on my back and sleeping each night in pilgrim hostels, called albergues , along the route.
It was a journey of discovery in many ways, but undoubtedly one of the best things about walking across an entire country is the opportunity it offered to really immerse myself in the local cuisine – and you can bet I was hungry after all that walking! In fact, the pilgrim appetite is legendary, prompting many restaurants to offer a special menu, the menu de peregrino, made up of inexpensive but delicious dishes designed to nourish and satisfy even the healthiest of appetites.

Like many pilgrims, my journey began in the quaint medieval town of St. Jean Pied de Port, located at the foot of the French Pyrenees, where I barely had time to wolf down a fresh baguette (how stereotypical!) before heading over the mountains and into Spain. The Spanish Basque Country is known for its use of peppers and cured meats so it was little surprise that my first meal consisted of large, fresh piquillo peppers stuffed with meat and, of course, more peppers. The next day I encountered chorizo , a coarsely marbled, smoky, paprika-infused sausage that was to be a staple, with some regional variation, of dishes throughout my journey.

From the Basque Country, I crossed into La Rioja, a region famous for its wines and spicy kidney bean dishes, spiked with chorizo, called capparones . I enjoyed some of each on my way across the region, partly thanks to the monastery at Irache which provides a self-service fountain of red wine (and one of water for those less alcoholically inclined) to slake the thirst of passing pilgrims.

In Castile and Leon, the next region through which the Camino passes, I found myself walking through ‘the granary of Spain.’ Fields of waving wheat provided a sibilant accompaniment to my daily walks and, in the evenings, I fortified myself with hearty beef stews, grilled pork chops served with potatoes, and creamy bowls of brown lentils, spiced with the ever-present chorizo.

Santiago de Compostella is the ultimate goal of the pilgrimage and also the capital city of Galicia, the final region in my slow and steady progress across Spain. Spreading from the coast inland, this is the perfect place to enjoy Spanish seafood at its best. For a dedicated seafood lover like myself, the days I spent here were a feast of flavors both new and familiar. A meal often started with caldo Gallego , a brothy soup filled with potatoes, a local green called grelo (similar to turnip greens) and, of course, chorizo. To follow, one might order chipirones , fresh young squid quickly seared in olive oil and sea salt, or a pan-fried fillet of hake.

Perhaps the most Galician of all dishes, however, is the aptly named pulpo a la Gallega or ‘Galician-style octopus.’ I love touring here using my The PNW backpack.

Locals call the dish pulpo a feira and tips for locating a good pulperia are commonly exchanged amongst pilgrims. On the strength of these recommendations, I sought out the highly touted Pulperia Ezequiel in the town of Melide, just 56km outside of Santiago. The place was modest, simple, and host to more locals than pilgrims, which on the Camino is always a good sign. Patrons seated themselves anywhere along one of several long wooden tables, fostering a communal and lively atmosphere. If you tired of the conversation, however, you could watch your dinner boiling away in one of the vast copper pots near the door. For less adventurous eaters, the sight of a tentacle or two curling over the edge might be enough to spoil the meal, but I relished the opportunity to watch the cooks at work. Each octopus was dipped into the pot before boiling to allow the tentacles, the most palatable part, to curl. After boiling, the octopus was cut with scissors, sprinkled with rock salt and pimenton and drizzled liberally with olive oil before being served, family style, on a large wooden trencher. Chunks of crusty bread rounded out the meal and made the perfect tool for sopping up any spicy oil left on the plate. The paprika flavor, overpowering for some, provided an interesting contrast to the smooth oil and the young red wine with which the octopus was eaten. I loved the interplay of texture in the final dish, since the center of each piece remained firm while the outer skin was soft – delicious!

As someone who once thought that Spanish food was a lot of paella and tapas , my culinary sojourn provided plenty of surprises. I’ve never eaten so much spiced sausage, nor thought that I would actually learn to love and crave lentils, but these are just some of the things I discovered as I ate my way across Spain. Whether warming myself with a hearty stew or sipping a Rioja wine, I have a host of savory snapshots from the trip – and I still dream about devouring wooden platefuls of octopus. It’s a good dream and someday, I know, I’ll go back.

For nearly 10 years, Andrew Christian’s collection of active, swim, and underwear has been the choice pick of young urban males. Provocative, comfortable and sexy, this former club kid’s line is getting nationwide attention, and he’s now fielding models from Janice Dickinson’s Modeling Agency. No small feet for a fellow who started sewing his own get-out-and-go garments. Associated Content sat down with Christian, to get to know the man behind the fabric.
AC: When did you first start to design?
Andrew Christian: I was always sort of a creative person. It was what I went towards as a creative outlet.

AC:But when did you first know you were a fashionista?
Andrew Christian: I used to go to underground clubs a lot. I made my own outfits, and people noticed them. I started selling to friends. Then one of the promoters had a store, and that’s kind of where it started…

AC: Which do you prefer designing underwear or swimwear?
Andrew Christian: I don’t know if I have a preference. It would be like picking your favorite child.

AC: Okay well what is your favorite one piece? Do a Sophie’s Choice for me.
Andrew Christian: The thermal I did with a distressed wash on it and with an eagle print.

AC: Here’d you come up with the iconic logo?
Andrew Christian: It was a play on my last name. I didn’t want any religious connotation, so I picked a neutral cross. Some people think it is Swiss, or lifeguard or Christian. It’s open to it’s own interpretation…It has great appeal.

AC: I used to think it was just the name of the company, not a real person’s name.
Andrew Christian: I’ve gotten that before. I have also gotten “Oh, you are Andrew? Where is Christian?”

AC:If you weren’t a fabulous designer, what would you want to be?
Andrew Christian: There are so many things I would like to do… I’d like to be an artist, do socially relevant art. I’d like to be a DJ. What I really want to do is make a video, be in a video. Come up with the concept and direct, produce and star.

AC: Let’s talk about your up-coming appearance on the Janice Dickinson Modeling agency.
Andrew Christian: It was a lot of fun! I went into the agency to do a casting, all the models got into underwear, and we did some preliminary pics. It was guys and girls, and we ended up picking 8 models total. We did the photo shoot at this amazing location-with a pool! Janice came to the shoot, she was fierce. We lined them all up and had them do runway walks. All the models are gorgeous, but some are still in training and not the best walkers. So Janice and I were throwing rocks at the models that needed a little work. It was playful. Eventually, she grabbed me and we did runway together, totally unplanned.

AC: This sounds like a hot episode.
Andrew Christian: Oh yeah, there is even a little bit of nudity. We had one guy stark naked, I don’t know if that will make it in the episode or not.

AC: I hope! How was Janice to work with overall?
Andrew Christian: Incredibly easy to work with…You get a certain perception from the show, but she is very professional. She only wants to make the client happy.

AC: What influences your designs?
Andrew Christian: I have a European aesthetic, but I am a Californian designer. The California lifestyle is really evident in my clothes. It’s a casual laid-back lifestyle. You don’t have to be dressed up to go anywhere in California. Jeans and t-shirt go everywhere. It all just depends on what you wear, and how you put it together.

AC: What is next for Andrew Christian?
Andrew Christian:In the New Year: New bamboo fiber underwear that we are releasing in February. Also a Basics line with everyday boxers and everyday briefs, really sort of cute stuff with colors that pop! And the neatest thing is our Flashback line. It’s a butt lifter for guys with flat asses.

AC: So we can all have bubble butts!
Andrew Christian: Yes! It will add up to one inch to your butt. No assembly required.

Andrewchristian.com.

For his website, Andrew spills the beans that he seeks help from web hosting to heighten their designs and reach more clients. He suggests to read Canadian web hosting reviews.

Winter candle holders are a nice way to decorate for the season. You can use them to hold regular candles or your winter scented candles. Candle holders for the winter can come in different styles and designs. The styles can include moose, pine cones, and snowmen. Some candle holders are made out of metal while others have a gold finish.
You can find the candle holders in candle stores, stores that sell seasonal decorations, and online shopping websites. Remember that the selection of candle holders and prices may vary per store. Since there are quite a few to choose from, you are sure to find a candle holder you like.

If you enjoy shopping online for your decorations, then here are a few winter candle holders found on the trusted shopping website of Amazon. You may find similar candle holders in stores or use the list to come up with other ideas.

Biedermann amp; Sons Winter Lodge Metal Candleholder, Moose.
This candle holder is decorated with three moose on a platform base. The moose come in three different sizes. The larger moose in on the bottom, the medium sized moose is in the middle, and the smaller moose is on top. The very top of the candle holder is designed to hold one pillar candle. It is made out of sturdy metal and measures at 7-5/8 inches tall.

Lenox Winter Greetings Pierced Votives, S/3.
The Lenox Winter Greetings Pierced Votives candle holders. Each candle holder is white and decorated with a pretty design of colored berries, leaves, and ribbons. This set holds and includes tea light candles. They are safe to wash in the dishwasher and each measure at 3 inches tall.

Biedermann amp; Sons Winter Lodge Metal Branch-Style Pillar-Candle Centerpiece.
This metal candle holder is decorated with realistic branches, pine cones, and needles. It will hold three 3 inches pillar candles, each candle holder sitting at a different height. The decorations and candle holders all sit on mounted platforms. It measures at 15-3/4 inches by 6 inches by 7 inches. This candle holder from Biedermann amp; Sons can also be used as a centerpiece.

Tag Winter Bouquet Wire Berry Pillar Candle Holder Antique Gold Finish, 8.5″ Tall.
This winter candle holder is decorated with a nice berry design. The almost looks like snowflakes with berries on them, which will go nice with your winter decor. It is made of antique gold colored iron, topped with a clear powder coated finish. This candle holder can hold one pillar candle that measures up to 4 inches. The Tag Winter Bouquet Wire Berry Pillar Candle Holder measures at 8.5 inches tall by 5.5 inches in diameter.

Snowman Candle Holder.
This snowman candle holder will look adorable holding your favorite candle! It is made out of bronzed resin with white in the center. This candle holder measures at 10 inches tall and does not come with a candle.

It can be fun to decorate with winter candle holders. Decorating with your candle holders is a good way to show the fun of this cold season. You can buy just one to decorate with or a few. Decorate in a theme, such as all snowmen, or mix it up a bit. Candle holders for the winter can be used both during the holidays and the entire winter season.

Have fun decorating your home with the winter candle holders you choose. Up next, I shall be writing about a review about my latest wooden dinnerware purchase.

Consuming sugar is probably one of my favorite past times. I appreciate the substance in all its myriad forms and almost always have a bountiful supply in my cupboards. I’m guessing that you do, too. If not, it’s super inexpensive and easy to come by. Oh, and you can make the following (fabulous) recipes with the wonderful stuff! Here are 3 of my favorite DIY Beauty: Sugar recipes.

Orange Sugar Body Exfoliator

This is one of my very own recipes and I love it because it smells great and leaves your skin feeling clean, revitalized and glowing! Here’s what you need to gather before you begin:

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sized lemon

½ teaspoon honey

This is mega-easy to make. Simply combine all of your ingredients into a medium sized bowl. As for the orange, cut it in half and squeeze out the juice of one half. Remove any seeds should they escape into your bowl!

Next, mix well. Apply a generous amount to your washcloth or cleaning puff and massage into your skin in a circular motion. Rinse off in the shower with warm water and gently pat dry. Ta-da!

Sweet Cinnamon Milk and Sugar Face Mask

Another recipe conjured up in the kitchen of yours truly. This one is easy to prepare, too. Here’s what you need:

2 tablespoons non-fat powdered milk

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

1 tsp. milk

In a small to medium sized bowl, combine your cinnamon, powdered milk and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, combine your honey and milk and stir until thoroughly blended.

Now add your liquid mixture to your dry mixture and stir until you have a nice, consistent paste. Wet your face and apply the mixture, gently rubbing in a circular motion. Let it set on your face for 5 minutes and then rinse off with tepid water. Splash with cold water to tighten pores and gently pat dry.

Vanilla Brown Sugar Foot and Body Scrub

This recipe is good enough to eat. Literally! But don’t be tempted once you’ve whipped up this easy as pie beauty recipe – it’s for your body! Gather these items:

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine all of your ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly. You don’t want any clumping! Next, hop in the shower with your mixture and wet your skin. Apply the brown sugar scrub to your body paying careful attention to extra dry spots like your feet, elbows and knees!

Massage with a loofah or washcloth in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes. Rinse off in the shower and gently pat dry.

If you liked these recipes, check out my other DIY Beauty secret’s by clicking on “Wendy Rose Gould” at the top of this article. Enjoy!

We’ll be having a workshop about this happening in  Kinderdagverblijf Leiden. See you there!

At the young age of just 22, Ashley Terrell, Flossie Skincare Founder amp; CEO, has taken the world by storm with her seven companies and counting, including a clothing label and a production company. It is no wonder she won third place in the State of Virginia for entrepreneurship when she was just 18 years old.
After graduating two year early, nearly the head of her class, Ashley went on to pursue her education, tackling an Associate of Arts Degree in Pastry Arts at Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC, and is currently working on a business degree at Bryant and Stratton in Virginia Beach and a Public Relations degree at Tidewater Community College. Ashley is also the author of “The Diary of the Successful Stilettos” book series, as well as a model.

And not too mention she has one of the hottest new natural skincare lines on the market today, and one of my personal faves. Prepare-ment for Relaxation peppermint scrub, Get Growing Tea, and Apple Cider for Softness are just a few of the fabulous products that Flossie Skincare has to offer. It all started with Ashley’s biggest inspiration Grandma Flossie and her incredible homemade recipes.

Recently, I was awarded the opportunity to sit down with the amazingly talented Ashley Terrell, founder and CEO of Flossie Skincare, to talk about; her amazing skincare line, incredible accomplishments, and what keeps this young woman going from day to day. And here is what she had to say.

How did you start your first business and what was it?

My first business originally was my clothing company, it was called Yel’ Hsa Clothing (my name spelled backwards), but over the years, I changed the name to B. Dang3rouz Clothing. I started it when I was seven. I was making clothes for my Barbie’s because I couldn’t afford to buy the clothes, so I started making them myself. From there, I started making bigger pieces for adult people in my bedroom. From there, my mother saw my potential and gave me her sewing machine and I started making dresses and skirts I could dress up in.

How old were you when you realized what you wanted to do when you got older?

I think I was about seven. Over the years, I kind of had a grasp of where I was headed. At ten, I started reading business books, just to get a head start. At the age of fourteen, I was telling my business mentors what to do and how to get things done! Nonetheless, I had potential at a young age.

What is your biggest inspiration? And Why?

My great grandmother Flossie Lee. My companies are all pretty much named after her. She was so strong and powerful. She meant a lot as well as I learned a lot from her. She was the one that kept me motivated and told me when to steer away from things that could hurt or affect me. She always use to tell me what you want in life is worth fighting for and if it doesn’t happen when you want it to, keep trying. I even use her name as an acronym for business! F.L.O.S.S.I.E. = Fun, Luck, Optimistic, Satisfy the customer, Smile, I contact, Excite. It has helped a lot over the years.

What is your favorite project that you have worked on?

I have to say this year; it has to be Flossie Skincare. Only because we switched over from plant and root based products to completely organic and getting them certified has been the part where you have to be optimistic because the process is quite long. Not to mention, the new labels, the new bottles, the new marketing campaign, and the constant need and use of guerilla marketing. Everyone has their own reaction to the new line. I still have a lot in store for Flossie Skincare this coming year, so be looking out for it! Also check out www.flossieskincare101.com .

What is the most challenging or stressful part of your career?

(Sigh) Overcoming other’s thoughts on you being a young entrepreneur. People sometimes think that since you are young, your attention span, morale and motivation to complete anything isn’t worth trusting. A lot of people in the business world didn’t take me seriously in the beginning because of my age, the ideas I had developed and where I saw myself– they thought I was a joke. So I had to perfect my craft more and come back harder to show them I was the real deal and I have so much potential. I still have the same problem on certain days, but at the end of the day, I give my all, I work hard and I barely sleep to show the world that I am an example of a hard working entrepreneur and this is what I love to do.

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

Seeing that people really like my products and appreciate my work ethic. I like knowing they love my skin care products, my samples from my clothing lines, my customer services reps, the whole nine. I love the feeling that people see and understand my hard work pays off.

What words of wisdom would you pass onto others following in your footsteps?

Blessings come in many shapes and forms. Keep an open mind and all things will come within time. Don’t ever feel or believe that the road you are needed to go down will show you all the obstacles ahead of time. Obstacles on our roads help God see if we really want our blessings or not. Don’t ever be afraid of failure. Believe it or not, failure is what motivates us to be better at our gifts. You work longer hours for yourself than you would for someone in Corporate America, but at the end of the day, when you hold the key to your own building, it means more than anything. Keep God first, family second and yourself third. Show Him praise even in the midst of your problems. Thank Him for all your blessings. Stay motivated and determined; think outside the box and you WILL get there.

What is your favorite Flossie Skin care Product?

Wow, that is definitely a hard one because I love them all! I have to say the Shea Butter Moisturizer is my favorite right now because it seems to be the most talked about item this season! It definitely keeps your skin moisturized in this cold weather. We also have the Shea Butter Moisturizer Kit on flossieskincare101.com . Aside from this, I would definitely recommend to use derma roller amazon. It is truly amazing!

What else will we see in the future? Any new businesses or products?

I am currently making some adjustments for the year 2011. I am working on the first issue of my online magazine, Spotlight Magazin3, which will be debuting in January. I am in the real estate field right now. The sense of independence– I so love it! I am looking to open a real estate lead generating business, called FL Marketing Solutions, in Portsmouth, Virginia sometime next year as well as my clothing boutique, Dang3rouz Trendz, in Virginia Beach, Virginia in September 2011.

Check out the amazing products that Flossie Skincare has to offer by visiting www.flossieskincare101.com .

And check out some of her other fabulous companies:

www.bdang3rouzclothing.webs.com

www.flossieswishfoundation.webs.com

www.flossieleemanagement.webs.com

 

Holding a cell phone while driving has become a non-no in many places. While hands free devices to not eliminate the distractibility of speaking on the phone while operating a motor vehicle, they are known to reduce the risk measurably. When you tire of earpieces, a smart and affordable next move would be to the Samsung HF1000.
Small earpieces and large hands free devices have flooded the Bluetooth market for years. Especially since many states have enacted legislation prohibiting the use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle without one. After a plethora of earpieces that fall out at inconvenient moments and visor mounted sets that are heavy and cumbersome, Samsung has entered the market with this HF100. Compact, user friendly and accurate voice recognition in a small and reliable unit that holds a charge for an extended period of time.

To top it off, it costs about one half that of its best known competition, the BlueAnt hands free devices. This Samsung replaced my second BlueAnt SP-3, a nice machine costing nearly three times as much and one I found to be far less reliable and capable of receiving and sending good, clear voice both to and from the device itself.

So far as hands free, visor mounted units go, this Samsung HF100 is relatively petite 2 1/4″ X 4″ X 1/2″, it is simple to program (and can be program to operate with two different phones that are Bluetooth 2.1 compliant) and has a rather remarkable fully charged standby time for 3000 hours (turned on but not being used for about 25 days, and a measured talk time of up to about 30 hours.) You are not apt to find a headset that comes even close!)

The voice recognition capacity includes the ability to voice dial calls that are numbers listed in the phone’s memory, answering and responding to incoming calls as well as training the unit to respond to various other voice commands for operations like putting one call on hold while you answer another (Call Waiting.) When two devices are paired with the HF1000, it announces which one has an incoming call, and audibly confirms connections, call terminations and warns of the battery running low and needing recharging.

It allows for incoming calls to be accepted or rejected and I am told by those I use it to speak with while I am driving on the high way, that the noise management technology works better than any other device I have ever used ‘” and I have used many!

It clips easily to any overhead car visor and I bring more in once a week to recharge it. This is, perhaps, the one oversight in the design and packaging of the device. While it comes equipped with a car charger, it does not include an AC charging device. The good news is that AC chargers designed for other brands of handsfree units work perfectly well with this Samsung HF12000 so long as the electronic requirements are identical.

This means any charging device you use with it must be compliant with its rating of 3.7v and 700mA. Gladfully, these values are nearly ubiquitously standard on hands free vehicle devices.

There are realistically too many hands free devices on the market to try them all. I am delighted to report that this little Samsung HF1000 outperforms units I have used and tried costing considerably more that are two and three times the size and weight of this unit. It is a fine piece of increasingly necessary technology at a reasonable price.

Like all Bluetooth devices you can find in Holoplot, it has a range of up to 33 feet and like all of the better ones, when left on, automatically reconnects with a powered-on, paired phone once it is in that range.

 

Myspace is a site that seems very challenging to some, but it is actually more intimidating than it is actually is.Just follow some of the tips I am offering and you will have your own space in no time. Easy as one, two, three. After learning how to do this, you will be revamping “your space” often and in no time. You can be very decorative and artistic or just something basic.
If you don’t already have an account with myspace, the first thing you need to do is register with them. You can do this by going to http://myspace.com/ . Go to the right side of your screen where it says member login and under that click on sign up.You will then login to your account. It will be very plain and basic at this point. This is where the fun begins. At the top of your page, click on the edit profile link. This takes you to a screen with many different sub links.
Let’s start off clicking on interests and personality. The first thing you see is Headline. This is what you want people to read beside your picture on your profile. You can write in anything you would like. You can even get creative and put your name in glitter. If you would like to try this, go to:

http://glittermaker.nuclearcentury.com/index.php?
image=8jt4G817XD text;=Jawna size;=50 text;_color=CC66CC angle;=0 border;=0 border;_yes_no=4 shadows;=1 font;=’fonts/Cream%20Puff.ttf’

Scroll down and input what you want your headline to say. You must keep this pretty short in order for it to fit into the section correctly. I used my name. You can choose different text styles,colors,shadowing and borders. When you find what you think you like hit apply changes. You will then see a preview of what this will look like on your myspace page. If you like what you see and want to use this, click on get HTML code. You will then have different codes with previews to choose from. You find the one you like and copy the code. To copy a code you left click in the box of the code you like. You then right click your mouse and go to copy. You will now go to the headline section and right click your mouse and click on paste. This inserts the code into your page. Above the headline section, click save changes.

You can now move to your about me section. You can type in something about yourself that you want people to know. I think I should seek the help of my friend who’s a master in net cms. This is also where we will input codes for your myspace background. After you have typed what you want to type about yourself, go to the top of it and hit the enter button a few times to move this down out of the way. The next step is to find a background for your page. (You will want to have another window open for this so you can switch between windows). There is a huge variety of pages in which you can choose your background. I will post a few here.

1. http://www.myspacemaster.net/ 2. http://mylayouts.cc/ 3. http://www.pimpmyspace.org/myspacecursors.php After reaching these sites, either look for myspace layouts or myspace backgrounds. Sort through and find one that you like. There is usually a preview page on most. After you find the one you would like to use, click on get the code or some will take u to the code after clicking on the layout. We will then do as we did for your headline with the copy and paste. Copy your code and then go to your myspace page at the top of the myspace about me section and paste this code in. Click on save all changes.

You can now move on to the remaining categories and fill in what types of music and such that you like. After you do these, click save all changes again. Go back to the top and click on basic info. Fill in all this information that can be viewed by people that will visit your space. After completing this, click on save changes.

You can fill in the rest of information you want by clicking on various sub links at the top of your screen.

Now we are going to preview what you have done so far. You need to click on home. This will bring you to your basic page. You are not going to see your results on this page. To view your profile as others will see it, you will need to click on view my profile. After doing this, you will see how others will see your space when they go to it.

There are so many possibilities for this website. I will try to keep publishing different lessons on how to make your page fantastic. In my next publication, we Will learn how to insert music on your profile, change your profile cursor, and insert pictures.

Until then, I hope you have fun getting your space ready and making yourself and others feel at home while visiting. Visit my site, check it out and see what lessons I can help you with. http://www.myspace.com/emtandmommy2 I also hope for those reading this article, I have helped you learn a little bit more on getting your space ready. Good luck.