Kitchen Nightmares Episodes

Ever since I saw an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, I got hooked. This US edition is an intensified version of the original British show Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. World-class chef Gordon Ramsay spends one week in the featured restaurant and identifies its problems. He talks to the owners, watches executive chefs and sous chefs, and makes necessary changes, may it be the food, the menu, the decor, or the people. The extent of the makeover extends to changing the names of the dining place. 

Kitchen Nightmares does not only tackle problems with restaurant food, but also with how the business is being run by  its owners. Chef Ramsay imparts his keen business sense to the owners and makes sure they implement it. Chef Gordon Ramsay relaunches the restaurant in his last day, and gives his conclusion at the end of the dinner service.

At some point in the following season, Chef Ramsay revisits some of the restaurants he helped and checks if the changes he has done are being maintained. Some businesses are lucky to survive, and some are just too deep in the hole to make it.

Textile Industry

Guest post of the week by Deangelo Spencer

Having a hand in the textile industry for so many years was really inspiring for me…I knew after only a few years in my old job that I eventually wanted to do something on my own but I just wasn’t sure how to go about it. I finally felt after about 15 years I knew what I wanted to do: open my own fabric store, so I got to work hiring people and working with vendors to get it all set up. I found a great space to rent near downtown and looked into small business xo and even made up business cards. By the time opening day hit I was READY and you know, though people didn’t come in droves business is really better than I imagined. We’ve got a lot of loyal customers and I’m really making a mark with interior decorators, which is a crucial industry to be in cahoots with. I know that in only a few years my little fabric store is going to grow into something amazing!

First roommate fight

Post contributed by Hilton Miranda

I just moved in with my best friend. She has a crappy apartment with no amenities, but the location is great. I am so excited to live with her, but not excited about the place. So far we agree on everything. It has been a great roommate match. However, she is a big reader and before I moved in didn’t even have basic cable. I can’t imagine living without cable.

This has become our first disagreement.

I looked up all the options at www.ExpertSatellite.com and presented them to her in a very professional way. I was trying my hardest to avoid an argument. What it came down to was that she didn’t want to spend the money. I understand everyone has a different budget and different priorities. Honest, I get it. However, this is a priority to me. So the end result was me paying for it all. I am fine with that. She doesn’t use it and I am the one that wanted it. All-in-all, we made it past our first fight and we are still doing great. I am still excited about our living situation and I am excited about all the fun we are going to have as best friends and roomies!

Quick meal prep that pays off

Guest post written by Clara David

When I get home from work, a lot of the time I feel like it's way too much trouble to even pop a frozen pizza into the oven for dinner. Plus, I don't really want to put much trouble into meals because I'm only cooking for myself. But I realize that a woman can not survive on frozen pizza and Lean Cuisines alone, so I've decided to start making more of an effort by grocery shopping wisely and getting things that can be thrown together to make good meals in just a few minutes.

But I also want to eat something more than just grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so I went online to find some quick and easy recipes. When I was online looking for that, I found some information about http://www.get.wildblue.com and after I looked through it a little bit, I decided to change over my home internet service.

One recipe that I found was for a turkey wrap. It sounded easy enough and you can also change it a bit by the dressing, hummus or even vegetables that you can include. Plus this takes less time to make than waiting around for a frozen pizza to cook.

Get my kids used to organization

Guest post written by Kyra White

I'm one of the least organized people ever, but I really do try to keep our home organized. It's something that I don't do without thinking, but I don't want my kids to be like that. I want them to get used to organizing their stuff so they won't be as messy as me.

I went online to come up with some ways to instill responsibility and organization in them like my parents didn't. When I went online to do that I came across the website www.ClearWirelessInternet.com and after I looked through it some, i decided to change over our home internet service to that company.

I got the idea to make some little cubbies to put in each of their rooms and put their toys away in. I want them to be able to put away their things on a regular basis without thinking about it so that it will be less of a chore and a burden and more of an everyday activity for them. Maybe along the way I can also learn some organizational skills too.

Valentine's Day Gifts: Do You Look for Discounts?

In about two weeks from now, people will celebrate Valentine's Day. I've been shopping for a gift for my wife. I don't want to be cheap, but I also don't want want to spend an arm and a leg for an expensive item since we need to prioritize for our upcoming wedding in summer.

There are a few ways I know of when saving money. One is through my amazon affiliate program, and one is by hunting coupon and online deals like DealTattle.com - Coupon Codes & Discounts. I gave my wife a Kindle (an ebook reader by Amazon) for her last birthday (and as a Christmas present as well). She was happy and I know she will be able to use it. I was actually contemplating between that and a Sony, but in the end, Kindle seems to be the most practical for her.

This Valentine’s though, I want to give her bunch of flowers with additional fancies like chocolates and a balloon. I really don't mind if I couldn't find a deal or discount. I want to give her something thoughtful, so she knows I remember her even if we're far away. If I found a good deal, I'll grab it; it wouldn't hurt. Besides, my wife is not materialistic like any other girls. For her, the greatest gift I could her is myself.

That’s my kind of girl. ;)

Music: Are You Still Downloading?

I am sure you have been downloading music for your iPod for later use. But where do you download mp3’s and other stuff?

I haven’t been downloading or leeching for a very long time now. Besides having a terrible and slow internet connection, I haven’t been interested in music, may it be buying or simply leeching.

Before, I used Kazaa and limewire to look for music and videos. With an increasing amount of software being created everyday, it’s no surprise that music torrents have been around for the past few years. Torrents are becoming popular because of ease of use and more reliable system if you know how to use it.

I have used torrents to download PDF’s, ebook, tutorials, some softwares that are full of spywares and malwares, and some other stuff that I no longer use. However, music does not pique my interest anymore, for unknown reason.

Maybe because YouTube has offered more flexibility and availability. You can basically find anything there, without having to download files that will eventually clog your hard drive.

That said, let me dedicate a song from one of my favorite bands: The Beatles. Don’t tell me you don’t know this, as this music is quite popular.

Dreaming of a Pedestrian-Friendly City

I live in a city where a report said that two of the country roads are dangerous to pedestrians: JC, NJ. Several incidents have been recorded on the busy and long road of JFK Boulevard, and a few ended up in the statistical category “deaths” just in 2007.

I’d love to walk around the city, just to stroll and observe people. JC is an interesting place – just a river away from the beautiful lights of New York. We have a mixture of culture here, and hopefully the government transforms this place into a more pedestrian-friendly city. I am not dreaming of joining the list of Top 5 Walking Cities, but just a safer place where you can walk by and socialize with others.

Peds-friendly streets, I believe, would create a more community-like environment. The more you walk, the more people you’ll see regularly and eventually you’ll familiarize with them and vice-versa. Oh, and did I mention that walking is good for the heart, too?

Unfortunately, it looks like it would take JC more years to be that place I am dreaming of. Just here in Journal Square, the spot where demolished building where previously erected remains untouched when the government said actions will be taken in the last quarter of 2009.

How Concerned Are You About Your Weight?

As a 30-something person, I am more concerned about my health more than when I was young at 17. When I was still a teenager, I ate almost every type of food, and I didn’t care if they were healthy food or not. As long as it tasted good, I’d make sure to grab a bite.

Luckily for me, I eat moderately. As a result, I remain skinny, at least in relation to my age. I never got overweight, but I found it easy to gain or lose weight. When I felt like adding up a few pounds, I just eat a lot and wait until the pants do not fit any more. When I feel I am too heavy, I just skip meals . Health Weight Loss is never really a problem for me.

The thing is, I should start to watch what I eat from now on. Entering the 35ish territory, I must limit my cholesterol intake and eat more veggies. Limit the greasy and oily food no matter how delicious they are. In addition, I am also planning to work-out as I haven’t hit the gym for quite some time now. 15-minute exercise in the morning is a good start, then increase the repetition and add more physical activity like playing basketball.

I want to live until I’m a 100 years old and see what the future will become.

My new Website for my Hobby

As I expand my latest hobby that is photography, I decided to build a website that will allow me to document my progress.

Choosing a name for a site isn't always easy, especially if you also intend to use it for business later on. I wanted my site to be easy to remember and at the same time, will represent what I do and what I am.

Welcome to PhotograPens.com...

Now the etymology:

Obviously, the "Photogra" portion stands for Photography. Pretty much self-explanatory. The "Pens" part is intended with pun.

"Pens" means writing, or in this case blogging. My objective is not limited to snapping and taking pictures... I also plan to write about the moments and memories captured by my camera.

There's also an anecdote attached to it which I am going to tell in a short concise sentence: my wife likes calling me "Pens" which is short for my surname "Pensoy".

My hobby + my wife's term of endearment to me = photograpens.com ... sounds good to me.

If you are interested to know, I plan to go the "event photography" route. Portraiture also interests me, so I also got myself a nice prime lens (Nikon 50mm f/1.8).

Excuse me, I'll just step out to practice my shots. ;)

Need to Buy A New Car? Check This Out ...

This is for my friends in United Kingdom (UK). If you want to buy a new cars, visit buyyourcar.com.uk and check out their car listing.

The site offers many features that allow buyer to research the car that fits his/her budget. You can make a detailed query of the car of your choice: by model, by make, or even by model range. Buyyourcar.co.uk can offer big discount as they have entered partnerships with many dealers and brokers across UK. What’s also great is they run a comparison chart of car prices showing how much you can save if you use buyyourcar.co.uk.

I know the economy is hard for almost everyone. That’s why if you need to buy a new car, try the site and see how much you can save. You're welcome. ;)

Cool Diesel Undies from Zappos

The first time I saw this underwear (in the pic), I thought it is cool and hip. I consider myself a simple man, so I settle for something not "fancy", especially for things that nobody else sees. In simple words, I'm fine with "tighty-whities".

However, after getting married last month, I thought "some variations" could be fun, especially if they're from Diesel. I've always liked Diesel: pants, shirt, or perfume. I'm sure these new undies are top-notch in terms of quality and style. The wife is going to enjoy them if you know what I mean. ;)

Did I mention Zappos'intimate selections? Check them out and see how sexy those jocks are. Read the reviews from other customers and learn how happy they are with the underwear. The designs are stylish, and the fit is perfect. I can't wait to get myself one or two!

8c1.net, Your FREE Online Multiplayer Games

Do you love playing multiplayer games online? There's a site called 8c1.net that offers FREE online games for multiple players. If you go to the site right now, you will see an online billiards game. To play, all you need is an email address.

http://www.8c1.net is pretty fast loading and neat, too. So if you have time and you enjoy these types of games, why don't you give it a try? There are already thousands of registered members who you can verse with.

Again, the site is multiplayer games,8c1.net.http://www.8c1.net. Hopefully, they offer more online games like bowling, track and field, car race, and chess. Those are the type of games I enjoyed playing when I was a kid.

Dream Bedroom

I'm getting married in about a year from now, and of course housing is a major concern. What I'd like to have is this 3 Piece Cedar Queen Bedroom Set from rustic furniture. I think this bedroom set would be perfect for a newly-wed couple: big, elegant, and it looks like it would last forever.

If I would give myself a gift, this bedroom set would be a perfect present.

Increase Self-Esteem With Plastic Surgery

Are you a woman whose self-esteem is very low because of how you look? Do you feel your looks and assets are not adequate enough? Do you feel you've done everything you could to make yourself look good, but it's still not working?

If you're thinking of surgeries as a last resort to improve yourself, a cosmetic surgery is available in California. A Female Plastic Surgeon in Los Angeles (some pages of the site are Not Safe For Work, so be cautious) can help you out. Dr. MacDonald of LA County does "breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty and other cosmetic surgery procedures" to help women improve themselves.

Although I'm a man, I know a thing or two about self-confidence. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing braces to improve my smile even though I'm an adult already. You do what you're supposed to do to eliminate self-consciousness.

So if you're a woman living in L.A., check out Dr. MacDonald for Plastic Surgery and shoot them an email if you have questions. ;)

Blogging for Money?

Many people thought they can be rich overnight by blogging. Nope, that's not the case. A lot of people make mistake by entering the blogosphere knowing not what to do exactly.

Money-making is not simple. You gotta know what to do. A-List bloggers do not just have one blog -- they have multiple streams of income. They do however own a flagship blog -- a blog that made them popular. A-list bloggers made us think that they earn 6-figures by only having one blog.

There are various ways to make money by blogging. One of the popular is Google's Adsense. But it is difficult to make money off of it. You have to be an expert in targeting keywords and producing backlinks. A niche blog is suited for Adsense. Niche blog means you're only blogging about one particular interest, and your traffic should be coming from search engines like google or yahoo.

Another is by writing paid reviews. In this type, you sign-up in sites offering paid or sponsored reviews. You write something about the advertisers (minimum number of words required) then they pay you. Most of the paid sites send payment via PayPal.

Blogging for Money requires hardwork. Like I said, never stop in one blog. Otherwise, you'll never survive. Always experiment, and don't put your eggs in one basket.

Best of Time for Memorial Day Gift

First of all, Happy Memorial Day to everyone reading this blog. This is the perfect day to commemorate those who have died courageously for the United States.

If you have any friends or relatives who have relatives who died in the war, and you want to give them a gift, a watch would be an ideal present.

Best of Time (www.bestoftime.com) - which is also known as Alex Jewelry "offers genuine Rolex watches at substantial discounts to the manufacturer's suggested retail price". Go visit their website and look for items that fits perfectly for your recipients! They are having Memorial Day sale today so better hurry up.

The watches they offer are classic: they have watches that display Roman numerals for the time! Watches are availble for both men and women.

So if you haven't decided yet what to give your loved ones, check out Best of Time, because is is "where time lasts forever."

Irvine Auto Body Shop for Collission Repair

Met a car accident? Don’t know where to go for repairs? Afraid that big repair companies might screw you?

Make sure to find an Irvine body shop. Auto body shop Irvine is an expert in collission repairs. There are lots of testimonials of their good service on the internet.

So if you are not really sure where to go, find auto body shop Irvine, and check them out. They also have Collission Repair Partners that can help you out.

We had a car accident back in September, unfortunately, there is no local Irvine Body shop here in Jersey, otherwise I could’ve called them.

This is a sponsored post.

How Many Blogs Do You Have?

This is an important question if you are trying to make money online: How many blogs do you have? More importantly: Do you make money off of them?

If you have several blogs, that's great news. You'll get lots of opportunity to make money online. But if your the words on your sites do not translate into dollars, you're just wasting your time.

You see, if you build a blog because writing is your hobby, that's fine. But if your intention is to make money, then be aggressive and build site the correct way, especially if you want to make money off of google adsense.

Ask yourself: how many hours have I spent on one blog alone? For how long have I been doing this? Did it pay off?

If you don't even break-even, it's time to re-check and re-evaluate your techniques. Else, you'll to continue to waste time for nothing.

Writing For Money Is Cheap Already

When you see the title, I assume you knew what I mean. Writing for money is already cheap - especially if your site doesn't have a Google PageRank yet.

PPP for instance, it will be extremely rare to find an opportunity worth at least $5 if your site has a PR of less than 3. I've been seeing crap sites that offer $2.50, even as low as .50c!

What and How do you get a PageRank

In a very simple definition, a pagerank is a means to measure a site's authority. Google measures it by counting how many other sites links to you. The more links you have, the higher score you get. But there are other variables needed to compute for your rank, but it is simply an inbound link to your site.

You get a site to link you using various techniques. You can:

• Comment to other sites and leave your URL
  
• Join blog carnival
• Submit your sites to directories
• Join community events
• Writing articles for ezine and other related sites.
• etc...

But it requires a lot of time. And we are counting several months here.

Do you Still Continue Writing For Money?

Well, it is simply a matter of preference. If you think .50C per post is worth it, then go for it. Otherwise, do not post. I can understand why the price is getting cheap -- it's probably the economy or the market (meaning bloggers) accept the price and write. Personally, I wouldn't do it.