Food Friday on Empty Streets: Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Garlic Sauce is one of my favorite sauces to make. I grew up with garlic as a child since I lived most of my life in the Middle East where garlic is a main part of almost every dish. I had a lot of Lebanese friends back then since I was a regular customer of their shawarma shops and some of them shared their garlic sauce secrets. I played around with their recipes and here is what came out as my version which a lot of my friends here love to use as part of their daily meals. Just remember to brush your teeth after eating :)

Ingredients:
7 pieces of garlic, minced
1/2-1 c. yogurt
1 t.-1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. mayonnaise

Procedure:
Blend all garlic sauce ingredients together and add just enough salt to taste till the consistency is semi liquid. You can add other spices such as thyme, black pepper or basil to add more variations to the garlic sauce.
(the number of garlic that you would need to put can be adjusted depending on how much kick you want your sauce to have :)

Garlic sauce is great as a dip for any fried delicacy especially if they require garlic. Use pita bread or your favorite chips.

Here is a cool video variation of the Garlic Sauce recipe that I found on Youtube that you can try:

Travel Thursday on Empty Streets: Sydney Australia

Back to the Australian topic for the month and today am featuring a cool place to be, which also is considered as one of the most desired places to live in - Sydney Australia.

When one thinks of Sydney, Australia - the most common thing that pops into people's minds is the Sydney Opera house that has proven to be one of man's greatest structural feats. But Sydney isn't just about that - it is a melting pot of culture and tradition. One can be see a mix between Caucasians, Asian, and Aborigines. The food and the people equally as enticing as the land they live in. The beaches are blue and clear, with nature and man living in harmony with each other. Being able to have seen this place since I was a child has caused me to long to see it yet again.

For tourists and residents alike there is a website that I found that has made a comprehensive but easy to digest guide of this beautiful city of Sydney - Lonely Planet Sydney

Aside from that check out this youtube video presentation of Sydney to show you exactly what I was talking about and much more:

Wellness Wed on Empty Streets: Power Of Prayer

Being a person born into a family of diverse religious beliefs and traditions has brought me to a place where I was given a chance to choose and see what works for me. I have gone from Islam, Christianity, New Age, Scientology and into Agnostics. I may look and sound a bit confused but in the search for truth one is left with nothing but faith and an inner voice that guides and pushes us to go where we must. But throughout these experiences one thing stands out amongst all. The Power of Prayer especially one done with a pure strong human emotion creates an occurrence of signs and wonders that one would often call miracles.

I know to some it may sound weird, some may be able to relate. But I speak out of personal experience. It matters not what faith you are in but when people pray with all their hearts something happens. I have seen people who were blind start to see, people who are deaf start to hear and people that couldn't walk jump up for joy. How and why, science is at a loss trying hard to find the facts that would explain the unexplainable. Evidence of a Higher power a God that answers these prayers exist but like the wind one can only feel its effects.

In my new position as Account Manager I have asked applicants to pray not only for themselves but for their interviewer as well. Those that have agreed to do so and acknowledged their faith and belief that God would hear their prayers have passed without a hitch as compared to those that didn't. Some whose chance of passing was rather slim were the ones getting in while those that showed confidence in themselves didn't.

In the past month after the Typhoon had ravaged my home and the family feud that sizzled to a dizzying escalation hit my home and me, I was left to sit back and pray. It was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders and things no matter how hard and serious they were became easy. It was like I felt that there was Someone there listening to me, listening to my every tear that dropped as I asked for guidance and help. Things started going well again. I felt the sense of purpose and life. I became a testament to what Prayers can do for those that do it with sincerity and purity of heart.

I guess at the end of all this one starts to realize why an old family advice of when a family starts praying together, they are guaranteed to stay together. I am starting to understand why families bonded together by faith are the only ones surviving and thriving. Less chance of experiencing broken homes and all the terrible things that we are hearing in the news about drugs, sex and violence. In the homes that I have seen that have practiced The Power of Prayer, one could undeniably feel the positive air that surrounds the homes that they live in. Peaceful is the best word to use to describe that feeling.

Prayers based on my experience has helped me out, I speak this as a witness to it. It may not be something you may find factual to you, however I strongly encourage that you should try it. Release your heart out to the Universe and pour out your emotion. Prayers are cheap - but the result of it is priceless.

Here is a video about the same topic that I have found in Youtube that I am sure you would find rather interesting:

Tech Tuesday on Empty Streets: Sony Ericsson Satio

I was wondering when Sony Ericsson was going to come out with a competitive consumer touch screen phone and as I was browsing around I found that they have finally done so with the new Sony Ericsson Satio. This smartphone has so many things to offer that one couldn't help but gasp with glee (Well at least I did after seeing it myself hehehe) I was so amazed with the smoothness of the interface and my favorite functionality of all the 12 Megapixel camera :)

Here are more things about the Sony Ericsson Satio:

General	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 900 / 2100
		HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - Satio(a) for the Americas
	Announced	2009, February
	Status	Available. Released 2009, October
Size	Dimensions	112 x 55 x 13 mm
	Weight	126 g
Display	Type	TFT touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	360 x 640 pixels, 3.5 inches
		- Accelerometer sensor
Sound	Alert types	Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3, AAC ringtones
	Speakerphone	Yes
Memory	Phonebook	Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
	Call records	Detailed, max 30 days
	Internal	128 MB
	Card slot	microSD (TransFlash), up to 32GB, 8GB included, buy memory
Data	GPRS	Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
	HSCSD	Yes
	EDGE	Class 10, 236.8 kbps
	3G	HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 3.6 Mbps
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA
	Bluetooth	Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
	Infrared port	No
	USB	Yes, v2.0
Camera	Primary	12 MP, 4000 x 3000 pixels, autofocus, xenon flash, video LED flash
	Features	Touch focus, geo-tagging, face and smile detection
	Video	Yes, VGA@30fps
	Secondary	VGA videocall camera
Features	OS	Symbian Series 60, 5th edition
	CPU	ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz, PowerVR SGX graphics
	Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email, IM
	Browser	WAP 2.0/HTML, RSS reader
	Radio	Stereo FM radio with RDS
	Games	Yes + downloadable
	Colors	Black, Silver, Bordeaux
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, MIDP 2.0
		- Google maps
		- WMV/RV/MP4/3GP video player
		- MP3/WMA/WAV/RA/AAC/M4A music player
		- Organizer
		- Gesture control
		- Voice memo/dial
Battery		Standard battery, Li-Po 1000 mAh
	Stand-by	Up to 360 h (2G) / Up to 340 h (3G)
	Talk time	Up to11 h (2G) / Up to 4 h 50 min (3G)

And for the final teaser here is a cool review that I found on Youtube that is sure to entice you to come and check it out yourself:

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Whitney Houston - I Look to You

I went through a lot of issues and trials lately. Trouble would be an understatement to be honest if it was to be used to describe what I have been going through. But just like Whitney I have turned to God for help and support. It was in these times that I realized that my smarts and my experiences would not help me, no man and humanly laws would be there to protect me and save me, only through faith in God and His Unconditional love that salvation and peace could be achieved. Here in her song I found the answer to my prayers. I do hope that as you listen to it, you too will find what I have found.

Whitney Houston - I Look to You:

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

1027 Call Center Life: Things to Remember Before, During, and After

Hi Guys,

Today am listng things that one has to remember to do before, during and after a job interview.

Before:
Prepare at least 2 copies of your resume
Ensure that you have your business casual outfit ready the night before
Confirm with your interviewer that you are on your way via text or email
Check google maps for direction if in case the location is unfamiliar to you
Take note of the job offer, the interviewers name and the company name
Decide on what mode of transportation to take that would be most convenient for you and your budget
Bring an umbrella just in case it might rain
Study and prepare for possible interview questions and exams
Always arrive at least 30 minutes before the interview time.
Bring breath mints and a good cologne to ensure that you smell fresh before meeting your interviewer

During:
Greet the interviewer with a handshake
Avoid unnecessary movements and gestures during the interview
Maintain proper eye contact
Speak with a loud and clear voice
If the question is a hard one, ask the interviewer for a few seconds to think about the answer
Avoid using fillers such as sir, ma'am, uhms, ah, actually, basically.
Maintain a friendly and positive personality throughout the interview
At the end of the interview thank the interviewer for the chance to be interviewed.

After:
Send a thank you email to your interviewer to a text message.
If you are still within the interview process and the interviewer has asked you to keep him or her updated please ensure that you do so.

Here is a video that helped me out in the past and I do hope that it can help you out too when you are Job Searching:

Travel Thursday on Empty Streets: Brisbane, Australia

I am going to be a little biased for this topic about Australia because am starting off at a place that I remember from long ago. The very first place I have ever been to within this majestic place - Brisbane.

Brisbane is known for so many things, but mostly of how nature and man has coexisted and it's beautiful beaches. I have to say that I really miss it. Childhood memories haunt me every now and then and I guess as I am getting older I am seeking to revisit my past. :)

Now as for the things to do in Brisbane I found a cool link in Yahoo that actually listed down 178 different things one can visit and do there :) Yahoo - Things to do in Brisbane

Now being a firm believer that pictures can say a thousand words - can you imagine how much a video of the place can say :)

Wellness Wed on Empty Streets: Sleep and Why We Need It

I have been lacking in this department for a couple of days now since I am still adjusting to my new job as an Account Manager for an Executive Search and Training and Development Firm. It is the very first time that I am working around the clock trying to hit the target that they have given us. Progress thus far has been alright for me, however, I still need to be weary of the sacrifices am taking to be able to do the job well.

Now let us get back to topic. Highlighted here are the major reasons as to why sleep is such an important part of our daily lives and why one has to ensure that you get enough sleep otherwise face the consequences that may affect your body in the long run.

Sleep helps to repair your body
The body generates extra protein molecules while you're sleeping. These help to repair your body at a cellular level. Examples of what could have caused damage would be the likes of stress, pollutants, infection, sun exposure and much more.

Sleep helps keep your heart healthy
Your heart and cardiovascular system is constantly under pressure, and one of the benefits of sleep is that it helps to reduce the levels of stress and inflammation in your body. High levels of 'inflammatory markers' are linked to heart attacks, heart disease and strokes. Sleep can also help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels lower.

Sleep reduces stress
A good night's sleep can lower blood pressure and the elevated levels of stress hormones which naturally occur in today's fast paced society. Sleep helps to reverse these effects and encourages a state of relaxation.

Sleep improves your memory
That sluggish sensation that you get when deprived of sleep makes it difficult for one to concentrate. This can lead to not being able to remember facts, faces, lessons and conversations. Sleeping well eliminates these difficulties because as you sleep, your brain is busy working on organizing and correlating memories. One of the great benefits of sleep is that it allows your brain to better process new experiences and knowledge, therefore increasing your understanding and retention.

Sleeping properly can help you to control your body weight
One benefit of sleep is that it helps you regulate the hormones that affect and control your appetite. Several studies have shown that when your body is deprived of sleep, the normal hormone balances are interrupted and your appetite increases. Unfortunately this increase in appetite doesn't lead to a craving for fruits and veggies, no, instead your body longs for food high in calories, fats and carbohydrates. If you want to get off the carb crave, get enough sleep. :)

Here is a great video to watch from Youtube that talks more on the topic of why sleep is important for us:

Tech Tuesday on Empty Streets: Windows 7 Preview

With the release of Windows 7 this month, many have been asking around as to what to expect with this new Operating System that Windows is coming up with. One thing that I can say to look forward to is the promise that Windows has made with regards to the system requirements is guaranteed to be much lower than that of Windows Vista, while maintaining the visual candy that it promises to deliver.

Here is a video demo and review that I have found on Youtube that further talks about what one would expect from Windows 7:

Music Monday On Empty Streets: Katerine - Ayo Technology

I loved the Justin Timberlake version of the song Ayo Technology however, this new and upcoming singer Katerine gave it a sexy twist that only a woman can give. :) I have nothing to say since am mostly speechless all throughout the video. :) Come see for yourself as Katerine takes you for a ride in her own version of Ayo Technology:

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Food Friday on Empty Streets: Tofu Burger

I know that this recipe is a bit delayed. I have been overly busy with my new job as an Accounts Manager in the company that I am working in and trying to learn how to balance time is quite a challenge. Eating healthy has become quite a challenge just as much as my job so I decided to bring my own lunch instead of eating out in the fast food chains that can be so easily tempting to grab a bite from. So for today am featuring a cool but tasty vegan meal known as Tofu Burger.

Here is how to make your own:
Ingredients
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 eggs
1 c. bread crumbs
3/4 c. walnuts, ground or finely chopped
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. soy sauce
Black pepper
3 cakes tofu, pressed

Procedure:

To press tofu: Place cakes between plates or baking sheets.

Weight the top wit ha bowl of water, heavy can or etc.

The sides of tofu should bulge but not split. Let stand 30 minutes.

Pour off water.

Saute vegetables and basil in oil until tender, about 10 minutes.

In large bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add bread crumbs, walnuts, and remaining ingredients.

Mash the pressed tofu with your hands and add it to the bowl, along with the sauteed vegetables.

Stir well. Pat into 6 large burgers.

Bake on oiled baking sheet, about 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown on outside.

Serve with ketchup, pickles, tomato slices, lettuce on whole wheat buns.

This is a large batch - may want to half the recipe and use 1 cake tofu.

And for those that like to watch how another version of a vegan burger is done here is a video that I found to help you guys out:

Travel Thursday on Empty Streets: Australia

Australia has always been a country of fascination for me. Not only is it one of the largest countries in the world but it is also one of the largest continents. With Flora and Fauna as unique as the terrain and with a touch of all races in a nation that makes it a melting pot of culture and tradition. Mysteries of all sorts come from every nook and cranny in this beautiful country and you are guaranteed to see much more than one would ever bargain for.

Here is a video I found in youtube to show you just what I mean:

Amazing isn't it :) Till the next travel article - this is a continent that I shall be focusing on in the next couple of weeks :) xoxo