Sharing your Honda story

Sharing your Honda story

If you are asking yourself what this is all about, let me give you some details. This year, Honda will release a series of mini documentaries which will allow their customers to highlight the personal experiences of Honda products either for fun or as a necessary part of their daily livelihood. So, even if you are using cars, ATVs, motorbikes or boats in the way they were supposed to be used, or you are using the Honda products in some unique ways, all you have to do is to share your own story and you might see it on TV.

A first example of such short films created by W+K for Channel 4 features the farmer Philippa who uses her Honda ATV to tend to the alpacas on her farm. A pioneer in her field, Philippa has been breeding beautiful and award-winning alpacas for some years. With acres of land to cover every day, Philippa’s Honda is an indispensable member of the farm. All short films will feature owners of Honda vehicles who are using them, let's say, in more unusual ways, not only for the regular shopping or just for a walk to the mall.

The mentioned campaign will be accompanied by Facebook and Twitter in all its phases, engaging users and linking to the online hub at www.honda.co.uk/stories where the documentaries, other films, interesting stories or articles will be also available. The 'Take Part' section shouldn't be missed, as there you can upload stories and photographs if you are a Honda owner. You can share also the unusual ways in which you use the Honda products. In the end, the favourite story will be turned into the final documentary which will be turned into idents for TV.

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Thai massage

Thai massage

Thai massage is a type of massage in Thai style that involves stretching and deep massage. This form of bodywork is usually performed on the floor, and the client wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement. No oils are used in Thai massage. It is known in Thailand as nuat phaen boran, which means literally: the ancient manner massage.

For the practicing of this type of massage, the client wears very comfortable clothes and lies on a mat or firm mattress on the floor. It can be done solo or in a group of a dozen or so patients in the same large room. The receiver is sat into a lot of yoga like positions during the entire course of the massage.

The massage practitioner leans on the recipient's body using hands and usually straight forearms locked at the elbow to apply firm rhythmic pressure. The massage generally follows the Sen lines on the body (somewhat like the meridians or channels in the Chinese medicine and Indian nadis). Legs and feet of the giver can be used to fixate the body or limbs of the recipient. In other positions, hands fixate the body, while the feet do the massaging action. A full Thai massage session typically lasts two hours or more, and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body (it may include also pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking the knuckles, walking on the recipient's back, and arching the recipient's into the so-called cobra position). There is a standard procedure and rhythm for this massage.

Enjoying a coffee

Enjoying a coffee

Most widely known as coffeehouses or cafés, establishments serving prepared coffee or other hot beverages have existed for over five hundred years. Various legends involving the introduction of coffee to Istanbul at a "Kiva Han" in the late 15th century circulate in culinary tradition, but with no documentation.

Coffeehouses in Mecca soon became a concern as places for political gatherings to the imams who banned them, and the drink, for Muslims between 1512 and 1524. In 1530 the first coffee house was opened in Damascus, and not long after there were many coffee houses in Cairo. In the 17th century, coffee appeared for the first time in Europe outside the Ottoman Empire, and coffeehouses were established and quickly became popular. The first coffeehouses in Western Europe appeared in Venice, a result of the traffic between La Serenissima and the Ottomans; the very first one is recorded in 1645. The first coffeehouse in England was set up in Oxford in 1650 by a Jewish man named Jacob in the building now known as "The Grand Cafe". By 1675, there were more than 3,000 coffeehouses in England.

An Armenian named Pascal established in Paris a coffee stall in 1672 that was ultimately unsuccessful and the city had to wait until 1689 for its first coffeehouse when Procopio Cutò opened the Café Procope. This coffeehouse still exists today and was a major meeting place of the French Enlightenment; Voltaire, Rousseau, and Denis Diderot frequented it, and it is arguably the birthplace of the Encyclopédie, the first modern encyclopedia. America had its first coffeehouse in Boston, in 1676.

The modern espresso machine was born in Milan in 1945 by Achille Gaggia, and from there spread across coffeehouses and restaurants across Italy and the rest of Europe and North America in the early 1950s. An Italian named Pino Riservato opened the first espresso bar, the Moka Bar, in Soho in 1952, and there were 400 such bars in London alone by 1956. Cappucino was particularly popular among English drinkers. Similarly in the United States, the espresso craze spread. North Beach in San Francisco saw the opening of the Caffe Trieste in 1957, which saw Beat Generation poets such as Allan Ginsberg and Bob Kaufman alongside bemused Italian immigrants.

Making iced mocha

Making iced mocha

Having a hot coffee on a sunny hot day is actually not so tempting, but that is certainly no need to dismiss the pleasure of enjoying a taste of coffee. The solution is, of course, the iced coffee. Maybe you have tasted it in a coffee shop, but how about preparing it in your own home comfort. Below, I will highlight some great tips to prepare a refreshing iced mocha, which happens to be also my favorite drink.

The beauty of iced mocha is the fact that there are various ways to make it, every way revealing a different taste. Just by including whipped cream and chocolate garnish will certainly add an extra touch on your iced mocha.

For the specific recipe (which should be enough for 4 drinks) you will need some ice cubes, but these will be included at the end. First, you will have to make 4 double espressos and mix them with brown sugar until it melts. Then, take the espresso, add 3 spoons of chocolate sauce and mix it accurately. Put it away for a while and let it cool down, then put it in the refrigerator to make it ice cold.

Right after it became cold, add half a spoon of vanilla and two cups of cold milk. Add everything in a blender and mix it. Put the coffee into 4 tall glasses, then add half cup of crushed ice to each glass. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle a little bit of chocolate garnish. Add a straw and you're simply ready to enjoy it!

Becoming a Star

Becoming a Star

So you want to be a star? You have the charisma, the looks and the talent, all combined? Maybe people respond to you, because you simply have that special something needed to make it in the entertainment biz. So how do you get there from where you are?

Even though you will not actually living the life of a celebrity, HP will help you feel like a star. How is it possible? By experiencing the instant fame of a star in your own paparazzi video. They came up with this new interactive video that allows you to embed photos from your computer or your Facebook account in order to see what it would be like to live the highs and lows of the celebrity lifestyle. With all that this implies: giant limousine, crowded parties, picture and name on the cover of the magazines, and everything else that make you feel very popular.

Below, of course, you will see my HP- Be A Star video. And therefore, for a few moments, I’ve lived the celebrity lifestyle in its entire glory. I’ve shined in my own light, followed my own path, and didn’t worried about the gossips, or paparazzi.

 

So, in order to have some harmless fun wasting just a few minutes all you have to do is to make your own video and then share it. You can start by leaving a comment to this post with your direct link of the video in order to let me know how your instant fame experience was. Visit also the HP Facebook fanpage in order to socialize and win VIP products. You will definitely ‘Like’ it!



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Fishing for Fun

Fishing for Fun

Fishing is a lot of fun. Actually, fishing with my kids is the best family time we spent. Just getting outside and hanging around by the lake are the best moments we spend together. In the beginning, my kids used fishing as a way to get them to the lake on a nice day. Which is ok, since it gets me outdoors where I bond with nature. There's nothing more relaxing than sitting on the lake in my boat and leaving the stress of everyday life far behind. It soothes the soul, and in this fast world, it's a lot cheaper than a therapist. Also my kids discovered that they love to fish, once we've been out a few times.

When we had first in mind to start go fishing, I had to select the boat wisely. A boat that meets the requirements and objectives on what I want to do with the fish caught are the things to look at when selecting it. Then it comes the selection of the appropriate place that meets the desired duration of the trip. And don’t forget about the tackle, bait, ice and fresh water. The tackle is really a set of pulleys and ropes assembled to facilitate the mechanisms for hoisting and pulling. Bait is for luring the fish. Ice is for keeping fresh the fish caught during the journey. Lastly, the fresh water is for thirst quencher during the fishing trip. Wear comfortable clothes that are suited for a hot summer day. T-shirts and shorts are the greatest clothes to have in mind when you go fishing. Keep in mind that an additional t-shirt will also be helpful. Also, I don’t have to forget about the baseball caps for my kids. This is efficient in shielding the hot rays in the sun during the journey. Bring with you polarized sunglasses to see the fish inside water. After all that preparation, we are ready to go fishing. When we see the variety of fish that can be caught on the lake we go, it feels very good.

And after a couple of hours, when we are all hungry, we get back to the town in order to enjoy a pizza. Since the best place to do that is Pizza Hut, we are always anxious to get there. And they have also this offer of letting kids under 12 years eat free which was available all summer, and which have been extended until January 9, 2011. More specifically, it means that for every adult main course purchased, an accompanying child can choose from either a free 2 course kids meal or a free kids lunchtime buffet which includes pizza, pasta and salad. More details about this offer can be found at http://bit.ly/a1DhgJ.

Besides the Kids Eat Free offer, on the bottom of the receipt you will find also a code, which if it is entered at their website can get you great deals on a wide range of family activities and adventures including holidays, theme parks, zoos and more. In conclusion, it is a pizza to be enjoyed!

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Ideal Vacation: Hotel or House Rental?

Ideal Vacation: Hotel or House Rental?

Every year, for the holidays you have to find an affordable hotel at a warm beachfront destination. But if you decide to do a family trip to Maui, where the hotels are really expensive you will start looking for alternatives. For example, various websites are offering vacation rental homes that allow you to find a place in your budget with more space than you ever imagined.

There are pros and cons to choosing a vacation rental home over a traditional hotel or resort and it's definitely not for everyone. But in most cases a vacation home will give you more space, having also kitchens with beautiful furniture and laundry facilities, and it is more economical than a high-end resort hotel. If the unit is part of a resort or condo complex, you may have the use of additional recreational facilities such as a swimming pool, hot tub or tennis courts. Depending on the rental, many include amenities such as beach towels, coolers, lawn chairs and boogie boards.

The longer you stay at the rental the cheaper the rate, and often times the renter may throw in a free night or some other incentive. The other obvious perk is the money you save on meals by doing some of the cooking yourself. House rentals can be booked directly over the internet through one of the many sites specializing in vacation rentals. They also provide pictures and details of the property and most are very quick to respond to any questions. Some sites provide the phone numbers of the owners, and it may be worth contacting them directly to try and negotiate a better rate.

There is a different feeling about staying in a rental home over a hotel. It allows you to imagine actually owning a villa on the beach in Barbados or some other luxury destination. You become intermingled with the local culture as you shop for groceries, visit neighborhood markets, or hang out at nearby cafes. If you've ever wanted to live like a millionaire, you can split the rent with a few friends and secure a luxury beach front villa that may otherwise run you millions of dollars to buy. Spend some time soaking up the sun and then go home to reality.

Enjoying the Foods and Drinks of Singapore

Enjoying the Foods and Drinks of Singapore

Singapore is commonly known as a shopping haven, a safe and secure traveling destination, a beach and city holiday rolled into one and a meeting point of many cultures and religions. Singapore is also the melting pot of many foods and drinks from all over the world.

You can satisfy your gastronomic desire for sumptuous cuisines at any time of the day and anywhere in the island. Singapore's unique blend of food and drink is considered very special. Below, I will present a list of six must-try foods and drinks when you visit Singapore.

Singapore Sling. A cocktail originally invented for the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel in the early 20th century. The original recipe uses gin, cherry brandy and Benedictine; the concoctions though differ in other parts of the country and the world. The drink is shaken and strained into a glass before adding in club soda. You can find the drink in most bars in Singapore.

Chicken Rice. A local favorite, this dish has been considered as being a national dish by several food critics. You can choose a serving of roasted, steamed or barbequed chicken with rice cooked in chicken stock and garlic. Add a dash of chili sauce and dark soy sauce, a plate of chicken rice is both a tasty and filling meal.

Laksa. While there are many versions of this dish in Malaysia, a Singapore version has its roots in the Peranakan community. Rice noodles are cooked in coconut spicy gravy and sprinkled with prawns, bean curd and chicken. It is a very rich and indulgent dish that will leave you craving for more.

Fried Carrot Cake. Certainly a comfort food for many Singaporeans, fried carrot cake is a mix of diced radish and egg tossed in soy sauce. A common hawker food, this dish is oily and spicy but promises a truly satisfying gastronomic experience.

Satay. If you are familiar with kebabs on skewers in Mediterranean dishes, Satay is the local version of meat on skewers. You can get chicken, beef and lamb Satays served with peanut sauce. Hotels usually add Satays as a side dish to its fried rice or fried noodles.

Ice kacang. An all-time favorite, Ice Kacang is a delightful dessert to end a meal. With a base of jelly, red beans, corn and Attap seeds, ice is grated on top of them and topped with various colored sugar syrup and condensed milk. It is truly a purely indulgent treat to satisfy your sweet tooth and a great way to quench your thirst in sunny Singapore.

Nightlife in Athens

Nightlife in Athens

It is said that the nightlife of Athens rivals with that of New York, London and Paris and maybe surpass those cities. Even though the recent events may question seriously your decision of visiting or not this city, one thing is for certain: you won't find more restaurants, bars, and clubs in a smaller area than you will in Athens with the majority of the nightlife being in central areas. Below I will select some of the best locations in this city in order to have them in mind when you are looking for dance clubs, live Greek music, or bars & lounges.

DANCE CLUBS:

Akrotiri. A summer spent in Athens is not complete without a visit to this club located on the coast. Here, the cosmopolitan ambience and the pulsing music, bring clubbing to a whole other level.

Ammos Beach. This well-known summer spot is situated directly on the water and hosts dance parties with DJs from all over the world.

Island. Just as the name suggests, breezy island surroundings and exceptional sea views offer a laid-back atmosphere. But as the night goes, the lounge tunes make way for beats on which you will dance all night long.

Venue. One of the leading dance clubs in Athens boasting three dance floors and a calendar of exclusive dance parties.

LIVE GREEK MUSIC:

Ammos. Here you can find a great mix of modern, mainstream and more established Greek music.

Athinion Arena. Here, the live Greek music program is more like a Vegas show, featuring dancers and acrobats. A unique twist to the average bouzouki night.

Thea. This live show features some young Greek singers that are sure to lighten up the mood and get you on the dance floor.

Mostrou. In other words, traditional Greek music presented in a tavern-style atmosphere in the heart of Athens.

BARS & LOUNGES:

Balthazar. This lounge is a tropical paradise in the centre of Athens with breezy décor and posh clientele. It is definitely a place to see and be seen.

Baraonda. It is an exclusive outdoor bar and restaurant offering great cuisine and a swanky garden atmosphere that attracts a fashionably cool crowd.

Istioploikos. A well-known café-bar overlooking the port of Mikrolimano provides a laid-back atmosphere to enjoy drinks with your friends.

Soul. This eclectic bar is separated into three areas whit different DJs and it is sure it will please a wide range of musical preferences.

Tired of Searching for the Right Phone System?

Tired of Searching for the Right Phone System?

Even if you have a small or a large business, your office phone system is very important for your business as it allows you to communicate with your staff and your clients, easily and efficiently. Unless you have a very small number of staff, you will have to search for a sophisticated phone system that can improve productivity and enhance customer service. Below, I will try to present you some helpful tips to be used when searching for phone systems for your office.

Choose the quality. Avoid the temptation to save some costs by under investing in a system. Despite the wide use of the Internet, telephone services continue to be an essential business communication tool. Make sure you invest in a known brand, a reliable system that's going to be able to support your business as it grows.

Use the existing equipment. A great way to save money on installation costs is to choose a telephone system that is compatible with or can make use of telephone handsets or outlets that you already have.

Make a list of the features you need. The features which I’m referring on this point include: call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, call return, call blocking or call trace.

Choose the right dealer. Choosing a reputable dealer with positive customer testimonials is vital. When researching your prospective dealers, find out how long they have been in the business, whether they've done jobs for companies or businesses similar in size to yours, and what skills, qualifications or experience the technicians have. Don't be afraid to ask them for information about their customer service track record so you can get an idea of how the company would handle the situation if you had a telephone or equipment emergency.

Consider also the budget. Because the installation costs of a new office phone system can be relatively high, be sure to ask your system dealer about any leasing or financing options that may be available if your business's current cash flow is limited. Keep in mind that interest may apply to leasing arrangements, so it may be more cost effective to pay up front. Also, find out if your dealer is willing to take away the existing phone system and give you a discount on the new one.

Advantages of Living on a Farm

Advantages of Living on a Farm

Everyone has their own idea of what living on a farm is like and what are the advantages. And if I would want to name just a few of them, I will definitely speak about: peace and quiet, lower stress, and fresher air.

The life on a farm starts early, in most cases before the dawn. Depending on the size of the farm and the work that it does, the farmer might be getting up by 4 a.m. to get started on a day that lasts well past dusk. There are crops to tend to, livestock to feed and water and other chores that need to be done, often in a race against the heat of the day. The farmer must keep one step ahead of his animals, his crops and his machinery, because letting anything slide for even one day can lead to a complete disaster.

But living on a farm is not all work and no fun. Many farms have ponds to swim and fish in, or trees to climb. Farms with livestock can be very educational as young ones are born. There is nothing sweeter than a newly born lamb, horse, cow or even pig. Of course, if the farm is in the business of raising animals for meat for personal use or for profit, then the children should be made aware of that from the very start.

Asking what it is like to live on a farm might actually be the same as asking what it is like to live in a mansion, or a shack. You live your life, eating, sleeping and trying to make a living just like anybody else. Your office is just out in the barn and your commute may be from the seat of a big tractor. You are the boss, the animals or the crops are your employees as you all pull together to accomplish your end goals. Meetings are held at dawn, and vacation is during the off season. And at the end of the day, living on a farm is simply living!

Make Sushi at Home

Make Sushi at Home

Sushi is a food that is eaten worldwide in both casual and formal settings. If you don’t have the ability or experience to eat sushi in a high class or formal experience you can make your own sushi at home and it can taste just as good as when the chef made it.

But first of all, you must understand exactly what sushi is: a roll of fish or other sea food wrapped up with rice. These ingredients are placed inside of seaweed, also known as nori. There are two different types of sushi: simpler (contains only one type of filling which can be fish, seafood, or just a simple vegetable) and futomaki, also known as fat maki (contains two or more fillings for a fuller type of sushi).

Sushi can be rolled or folded in different ways. Hand made sushi, known also as nigri sushi, is the most common type and includes pressed rice along with some toppings. Another type is known as maki sushi which is rolled up, the seaweed being wrapped around rice and a filling.

In order to make sushi a few basic ingredients are required: seaweed, short grained rice, seasonings (i.e. ginger root, wasabi, or soy sauce), raw fish or vegetables like avocado, cucumber, carrots, or asparagus. If you want to include seafood shrimps, eel, or salmon will be a good idea.

Now that you have the ingredients, the actual process of making the sushi follows: place the seaweed on a bamboo mat in order to be filled and after that spread a very thin layer of rice on top of the seaweed. At this time, any ingredients you wish to be placed inside the sushi are now placed in the middle of the nori. Now it is time to roll the sushi. Hold the bamboo mat edge and roll it. Be sure that the roll is tight but not tight enough that the fillings seep out of the edges. After the roll is complete the bamboo can be separated and the roll is left intact. The entire sushi is now ready to be sliced into sections. Depending upon the size you want each roll to be, cut it into sections.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different ingredients and combinations. You never know with what kind of creation you will come up.

Sources: 1

Special Use for Sunglasses in Various Sports

Special Use for Sunglasses in Various Sports

Sunglasses have to meet special requirements when worn for sports, needing shatterproof and impact-resistant lenses. Also, in order to keep the glasses in place during sporting activities, a strap or other fixing is typically used in this respect.

For water sports, the so-called water sunglasses (or water eye wear) are specially adapted for use in turbulent water, in the case of sports such as surf. In addition to these features, water sunglasses can have increased buoyancy to stop them from sinking should they come off, and they can have a vent or other method to eliminate fogging. These sunglasses are used in water sports such as surfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, jet skiing, and water skiing.

Mountain climbing or traveling across glaciers or snowfields requires eye protection because the sunlight (including ultraviolet radiation) is more intense in higher altitudes, and snow and ice reflect additional light. The most popular glasses for this purpose are the so- called glacier glasses or glacier goggles. They typically have very dark round lenses and leather blinders at the sides, which protect the eyes by blocking the sun's rays around the edges of the lenses.

Feng Shui Products

Feng Shui Products

When it comes to feng shui products, the options to choose from are overwhelming: you can find items for love and romance, wealth and prosperity, luck and success, health and peace of mind, and many others. Moreover, you can find charms for your home, garden, office, or car. All of the available amulets are meant to create a balanced living and to enhance every aspect of life. Below, you will find a few words about the most popular talismans for enhancing the different aspects of life using the ancient notion of feng shui.

Love and romance. The feng shui products for enhancing love, always need to come in two pieces whichever love item you choose. Some of the most popular charms for enhancing romantic relationships and marriage are Koi carps, mandarin ducks, orange trees, and pictures of happy couples. These amulets need to be placed in the bedroom or the feng shui love corner, which is the southwest of any room.

Wealth and prosperity. The feng shui products for boosting wealth come in a number of forms: gold-colored items, Chinese coins, and specific talismans. The most commonly used and the most powerful amulets for boosting prosperity are: Gold Ingots, the magic scepter Ru Yi, Money Trees, Three Legged Money Toads, and Wealth Gods. It’s best to choose the charms that you like personally and to place them in the southeast corner of your room.

Luck and success. Any amulet can bring luck and success to its owner, as long as it is placed in the zone that you want to boost (money, health, love, creativity, etc.). However, there are specific charms that can boost your overall luck: Chi Lin, Kuan Kung, or Chinese dragons. Chi Lin is a protective animal similar to a unicorn, having horns, blue and green scaly skin, hooves, tail, and the head of a dragon. Kuan Kung is a military commander, who protects the home and brings luck. Chinese dragons are magical beings that also bring luck and protect homes.

Health and peace of mind. The most potent feng shui products for boosting health are salt water cures, which capture the negative energy in your premises. Both, health and peace of mind can be boosted using crystal singing bowls, fountains, and wind chimes. These talismans need to be placed in the east corner of any room.

You can also find items for business and career, health and peace of mind, reputation and fame, children and creativity, or self-cultivation and knowledge. The most important thing is to evaluate your life in order to determine the parts that need to be boosted, and then to pick up the specific charm that will help in your life improvement.

Coffeehouses

Coffeehouses

Most widely known as coffeehouses or cafés, establishments serving prepared coffee or other hot beverages have existed for over five hundred years. Various legends involving the introduction of coffee to Istanbul at a "Kiva Han" in the late 15th century circulate in culinary tradition, but with no documentation.

Coffeehouses in Mecca soon became a concern as places for political gatherings to the imams who banned them, and the drink, for Muslims between 1512 and 1524. In 1530 the first coffee house was opened in Damascus, and not long after there were many coffee houses in Cairo. In the 17th century, coffee appeared for the first time in Europe outside the Ottoman Empire, and coffeehouses were established and quickly became popular. The first coffeehouses in Western Europe appeared in Venice, a result of the traffic between La Serenissima and the Ottomans; the very first one is recorded in 1645. The first coffeehouse in England was set up in Oxford in 1650 by a Jewish man named Jacob in the building now known as "The Grand Cafe". By 1675, there were more than 3,000 coffeehouses in England.

An Armenian named Pascal established in Paris a coffee stall in 1672 that was ultimately unsuccessful and the city had to wait until 1689 for its first coffeehouse when Procopio Cutò opened the Café Procope. This coffeehouse still exists today and was a major meeting place of the French Enlightenment; Voltaire, Rousseau, and Denis Diderot frequented it, and it is arguably the birthplace of the Encyclopédie, the first modern encyclopedia. America had its first coffeehouse in Boston, in 1676.

The modern espresso machine was born in Milan in 1945 by Achille Gaggia, and from there spread across coffeehouses and restaurants across Italy and the rest of Europe and North America in the early 1950s. An Italian named Pino Riservato opened the first espresso bar, the Moka Bar, in Soho in 1952, and there were 400 such bars in London alone by 1956. Cappucino was particularly popular among English drinkers. Similarly in the United States, the espresso craze spread. North Beach in San Francisco saw the opening of the Caffe Trieste in 1957, which saw Beat Generation poets such as Allan Ginsberg and Bob Kaufman alongside bemused Italian immigrants.

Sources: 1

French Specialties by Season

French Specialties by Season

French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities.

With the advent of deep-freeze and the air-conditioned hypermarché, these seasonal variations are less marked than hitherto, but they are still observed, in some cases due to legal restrictions. Crayfish, for example, have a short season and it is illegal to catch them out of season. Moreover, they do not freeze well.

Massage in Ancient and Medieval Times

Massage in Ancient and Medieval Times

Massage is the manipulation of superficial layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance the function and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough". In distinction the ancient Greek word for massage was anatripsis, and the Latin was frictio. Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure, tension, motion or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, joints or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized massage modalities. The most cited reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.

Writings on massage have been found in many ancient civilizations including Rome, Greece, India, Japan, China, Egypt and Mesopotamia. A biblical reference from year 493 BC documents daily massage with olive oil and myrrh as a part of the beauty regimen of the wives of Xerxes (Esther, 2:9-12). Hippocrates wrote in 460 BC that "the physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing". The Ancient Chinese book called Huangdi Neijing by the Yellow Emperor recommended "massage of skin and flesh". The technique of massage abortion, involving the application of pressure to the pregnant abdomen, has been practiced in Southeast Asia for centuries. One of the bas-reliefs decorating the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, dated aprox. 1150, depicts a demon performing such an abortion upon a woman who has been sent to the underworld. This is believed to be the oldest known visual representation of abortion. In Romania some illnesses were treated by a massage in which the client was trodden on by a tame bear.

Types of Spa

Types of Spa

The term spa is associated with water treatment. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer thermal or mineral water for drinking and bathing. They also offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are especially widespread in Europe and Japan. Below I will present the most known types of spa.

Club spa. A facility whose primary purpose is fitness and which offers a variety of professionally administered spa services on a day-use basis.
Cruise ship spa. A spa aboard a cruise ship providing professionally administered spa services, fitness and wellness components and spa cuisine menu choices.
Day spa. A spa offering a variety of professionally administered spa services to clients on a day-use basis.
Dental spa. A facility which is under the supervision of a licensed dentist that combines traditional dental treatment with the services of a regular spa.
Destination spa. A destination spa is a facility with the primary purpose of guiding individual spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically a seven-day stay, this lifestyle transformation can be accomplished by providing a comprehensive program that includes spa services, physical fitness activities, wellness education, healthful cuisine and special interest programming.
Medical spa. A facility that operates under the full-time, on-site supervision of a licensed health care professional whose primary purpose is to provide comprehensive medical and wellness care in an environment that integrates spa services, as well as traditional, complimentary and/or alternative therapies and treatments. The facility operates within the scope of practice of its staff, which can include both aesthetic/cosmetic and prevention/wellness procedures and services.
Mineral springs spa. A spa offering an on-site source of natural mineral, thermal or seawater used in hydrotherapy treatments.
Resort/hotel spa. A spa owned by and located within a resort or hotel providing professionally administered spa services, fitness and wellness components and spa cuisine menu choices. Mobile spa. A spa which provides services at home, hotels, or wherever you are.

Bathing in Greek and Roman Times

Bathing in Greek and Roman Times

Some of the earliest descriptions of western bathing practices came from Greece. The Greeks began bathing regimens that formed the foundation for modern spa procedures. These Aegean people utilized small bathtubs, wash basins, and foot baths for personal cleanliness. The earliest such findings are the baths in the palace complex at Knossos, Crete, and the luxurious alabaster bathtubs excavated in Akrotiri, Santorini; both date from the mid-2nd millennium BC. They established public baths and showers within their gymnasium complexes for relaxation and personal hygiene. Greek mythology specified that certain natural springs or tidal pools were blessed by the gods to cure disease. Around these sacred pools, Greeks established bathing facilities for those desiring healing. Supplicants left offerings to the gods for healing at these sites and bathed themselves in hopes of a cure. The Spartans developed a primitive vapor bath. At Serangeum, an early Greek balneum (wich can be translated as bathhouse), bathing chambers were cut into the hillside from which the hot springs issued. A series of niches cut into the rock above the chambers held bathers' clothing. One of the bathing chambers had a decorative mosaic floor depicting a driver and chariot pulled by four horses, a woman followed by two dogs, and a dolphin below. Thus, the early Greeks used the natural features, but expanded them and added their own amenities, such as decorations and shelves. During later Greek civilization, bathhouses were often built in conjunction with athletic fields.

The Romans emulated many of the Greek bathing practices. Romans surpassed the Greeks in the size and complexity of their baths. This came about by many factors: the larger size and population of Roman cities, the availability of running water following the building of aqueducts, and the invention of cement, which made building large edifices easier, safer, and cheaper. As in Greece, the Roman bath became a focal center for social and recreational activity. As the Roman Empire expanded, the idea of the public bath spread to all parts of the Mediterranean and into regions of Europe and North Africa. With the construction of the aqueducts, the Romans had enough water not only for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses, but also for their leisurely pursuits. The aqueducts provided water that was later heated for use in the baths. Today, the extent of the Roman bath is revealed at ruins and in archaeological excavations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

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Match Perfectly Wine and Cheese

Match Perfectly Wine and Cheese

Trying to choose what cheeses to combine with particular wines can be a little complicated, having in mind also the fact that everywhere you search you will find different advises. In fact, it doesn't really need to be that problematic. With this post, I’m trying to give you some simple techniques to match wine and cheese perfectly.

Wine and cheese offered as partners is highly conventional and extremely popular due to the simple fact that they bring out the best in each other. Cheese is considered a palette cleanser, and allows the wine drinker more pleasure with each sip and drink. Typically a small taste of cheese is a good idea in between sips of a favorite wine to boost the essence and improve the satisfaction.

If you are planning a wine tasting party of just having a couple of friends over to savor wine and cheese you will want to make sure you are equipped with the exact combinations of wine and cheese. In order to start, let’s begin with a basic principle: red wines commonly go best with hard cheeses and white wines go best with soft cheeses. A white wine goes very well with stronger flavored cheeses, while a red wine is best to be matched with milder flavors. Wines that are sweet or fruity flavored typically work best with pungent cheese flavors.

Here are some basic rules which, if are followed, guarantee you the perfect match between wine and cheese:
- matching wines and cheeses from the same regions can work well and is normally thought of as a good idea;
- creamy cheeses work especially to balance out wines with rough tannins;
- salty flavored cheeses like blue cheese complete sweet desert wines very nicely;
- the acidity of goat cheese is wonderful with the sharp flavor of a sauvignon blanc;

- sparkling wines and champagne are boosted with cheeses that are rich and creamy.