Food Friday: Devil's Food Cake

I was asked in the office by Joan G. to see if I can find an easy Devil's Food Cake recipe. I told her I would try as this isn't something I have tried cooking myself and that if ever I would be learning as I go along. So for today I let my fingers do the walking and I have found the best link that can teach us how to actually make the tasty pastry that I am sure will satisfy the people that we love this coming Valentine's Day.

Luckily enough I found a blog that has this recipe and from the looks of things it seems quite easy to make. Check it out at: Epicurious - Devil's Food Cake Recipe

In the meantime here are the things you need to ensure that you have in your grocery list:

Baking/Nuts/Spices

all purpose flour 1 and 1/2 cups
baking soda 1 and 1/4 teaspoons
powdered sugar 2 cups
sugar 1 and 1/4 cups
unsweetened chocolate 2 ounces
unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 cup
unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons (approx)
vanilla 1 tablespoon

Oils and Vinegars

vegetable oil 2/3 cup
Dairy
buttermilk 1 cup
eggs 2
sour cream 2/3 cup
unsalted butter 1 stick

Now if you are like me, where I need a visual tutor at times to learn how to make things I found this cool youtube video by the myanonymousblog.com that is both entertaining and easy to follow.

Hopefully we all learned a lot from these sources as I know I have. Will update you on my personal blog at Metz's Secret Garden if I was successful at this attempt :) Till then, Happy Weekend everyone. :) xoxo

Tech Special: Steve Jobs Unveils Apple iPad starting price $499

I was watching the news yesterday and finally the one news that I was waiting for was featured. Steve Jobs, recovering from his operation has shown is flair and energy as always and seemingly even more now as he unveiled the new Mac Gadget that is sure to be selling like hotcakes one released. He finally gave a name to the rumored tablet PC that they were developing and he called the iPad.

If you want to check out the specs simply click on the following link: Apple iPad
In the meantime here is the news that rocked the tech world yesterday:


iPad Overview

Travel Thursday: Palawan

Known as the Philippines' last frontier, Palawan has managed to preserve its fascinatingly natural habitat through the years. Situated in the North of Mindoro and north of Malaysia's Sabah Islands, Palawan is the country's largest province spanning 1.5 million hectares. An ideal breeding ground for tropical flora and fauna, Palawan has more than a thousand islands and islets where monkeys, squirrels, bear cats, and zebras thrive with wild tropical plants and corals.

Palawan's population follows the same pattern. The province has attracted people of all backgrounds and it is said that today's Palawenos are a fusion of 81 different cultural groups. Foreigners, too, have grown to love this quiet province.

Palawan consists of about 1,769 islands: The Calamian group to the north, The Cuyo Islands to the northwest, and the Balabac-Bugsuk group to the southwest. For the laid back trip, Honda Bay is an ideal destination. From there, you can take your pick of your own little hideaway from Cowrie Island and Pandan, to La Isla Bonita and Isla de Nagusuan.

Wildlife. Calauit Island is 3, 700 hectare game preserve and a wildlife sanctuary alive with indigenous species and African wildlife like giraffes, zebras, and gazelles. Sea turtles, sea cows, and a variety of marine life nestle on its shores.

Underground River. Beneath the St. Paul Mountain lies a quiet underground river which snakes for about eight kilometers before opening up into a clear lagoon flowing into the South China Sea. The Park also features the exciting Monkey Trail with its series of wooden paths to the forest.

Tabon Caves. The oldest known habitation site in the Southeast Asia, the Tabon Caves, unearthed a skull that dates back to 22,000 years ago.

Beacher. Visit the Balsahan or Tagbarung Swimming Resorts, Kalis Point, or better yet, get a taste of El Nido. El Nido features black marble caves, tabletop corals, fantastic marine life, and the requisite white sand beach. Named after the swallow's nest which proliferates in its mountain caves. El Nido also features one of the most delicious samplings of the freshest seafood in the land.

Archaeological Hunts. Go down Cuyo Islands and visit the Cuyo Spanish Church Fort with its massive ten meter high and wide walls. The Archeologists have also unearthed stone age tools, Chinese burial jars, and ancient ornaments in Palawan's numerous caves.

Here is more of the beautiful province of Palawan:

This is just one of the reasons as to why the Philippines has been tagged as one of the top adventure places to go to by National Geographic. More to come to do keep coming back :)

Wellness Wed: Cough Remedies that work and is light on cost

I was hosting a wedding today and nothing really bothers me more than an itchy and irritating throat. I did my best to keep from coughing while concentrating on the program and keeping guests entertained. I had tried using conventional medicine from the hotel's clinic but unfortunately it did nothing to soothe my dilemma. So I tried the old fashion remedy that my mom taught me. Drink warm water with Honey and Chamomile tea. It worked like a charm and for the entire 3 hours straight I wasn't bothered by my itchy throat and thus helped cease the coughing symptom till the program ended.

This is one of the reasons as to why I really prefer home made remedies over the synthetic medications. Don't get me wrong though, I do take regular medication from time to time, but using home made remedies along with regular medication does help increase the healing rate. Regular herbal therapy is also the best way to prevent certain diseases from happening.

Now with the cough issue, it was truly helpful to use honey and tea for my predicament but that isn't the only option one has for helping heal the common cough. From GrannyMed.com I found other herbs that are as easily accessible at home and still prove to be effective in helping relieve and heal the common cough.

Here are the things that they recommended:

• Licorice for cough
• Garlic and honey for cough
• Chocolate for cough (I really liked this one)
  
• Aloe and honey for cough
• Ginger Cayenne Tea for Cough

As you can see from this list, all of these ingredients can be found in the local grocery store if not in your refrigerator. We all use these in our cooking from time to time and continued use of these can also guarantee a lesser chance of getting a bad case of the flu and of course the cough.

eHow from Youtube also has a cool advise for home remedies with regards to healing the irritating itchy feeling one gets during a bad cough and more.

Tech Tuesday: Atlantica Online - Best MMORPG for 2009

I got hooked by an online game last week and I guess will be hooked on it every weekend from this point on. The game that I can't seem to stop playing is the Online MMORPG made by Ndoors called Atlantica Online. I got so addicted to it for several reasons:

• Graphics is amazing. The moment I got to log in and got to see the layout of the game environment, I was pleasantly surprised as to how detailed it is from your character to the scenery.
  
• Huge Gaming Potential. I was blown away at the way the entire game is set up. One look at the map and you will realize how big Atlantica Online really is. The possibilities are enormous. You can be from level 1 to 120 and yet there will still be challenges to face.
  
• Friendly Community. The game play system is an environment that induces camaraderie and friendship. I noticed that the moment I logged in, people have been helping me through the system, guiding me and mentoring me as I learn the ropes. The quests and challenges make it in a way that once inside the game you will find that friendship and social networking is the most important skill a player has to have to survive.
• User Friendly interface and game controls. That is more ways says it all. I myself do not like game play that is filled with so many keys to remember. In Atlantica Online, the quests, community, and system layout is so easy to understand as everything is set up to teach you step by step. There is even AUTOPILOT for those like me who are so bad with directions in real life and worse in the CGI environment (this is actually my favorite since when a quest is to be conducted I simply click on AutoPilot and it moves to the location of where one should be completing the task, allowing me to sit back and enjoy the scenery as my character moves across the computer generated field.) There is even the City of Manila in the game in the South East Asia Region. That is just one region and a clue to how big the game is, cause Atlantica Online's Map is based on the World Map :)
  
• System Requirements isnt that high so people with a Windows Experience Index of a 3.0 can play the game without much of a hickup (of course graphics settings should be set to a low).
• Character Customization is endless. I found that I could dress up my characters and finding the money to do so is quite easy as long as you learn how to craft items :). Yup there is an online Marketing Business to help you get through the Atlantica Online gaming world. :) I really wish I could get all the gold I have out and turn it into real money hahaha.
  
• Lots of conversation. I have gained so many new friends in the game and chatting with them is a breeze. The game is Turn Based so you have time to literally chat with your opponent or allies during battles. It literally taught me how to multitask to a level that I never thought I could :).
  
• Lots of friendly competitions and fun inter player challenges to choose from. Like I said, it is endless game time in Atlantica Online.

Most of the people that I have chatted with in Atlantica Online are people just like me, adults that are looking for a quick and fun get away from reality where we can fulfill our fantasies of being beyond ordinary. I really like the game and best of all, it is free. The server am on is Thebes and that is just one of the many servers that Atlantica Online is using. Last time I played Thebes had over 100,000 players so you can imagine how many people like Atlantica Online. All you need is a nice comfortable place to play, good internet, and a laptop or desktop that has a decent graphics driver and you should be good to go.

Here is a trailer of Atlantica Online - Hope to see you guys there (am using my real name so do say hi when you see me ;))


PS. Did I mention that you can even get to own a city :) wickedly cool game and you wont really fully comprehend what I am saying till you get to try it out yourself. :)

Music Monday: Hottest New Band of the year - The Script

Today am featuring an upcoming band that is proving to be highly promising. Their single called Breakeven hitting the airwaves and catching on quickly is a definite sign of their rising popularity.

Here is a little more about the pop rock band:

The Script is an Irish pop rock band from Dublin, Ireland. Currently based in London after signing to RCA Label Group imprint Phonogenic, the band released their debut album of the same name in August 2008.

Members:
* Danny O'Donoghue - lead vocals, keyboards
* Mark Sheehan - lead guitar, backing vocals
* Glen Power - drums, backing vocals (rhythm guitar on recordings)

Now come and watch the single known as Breakeven:

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!

Wellness Wed: Flu Prevention

Today's wellness article is something I should have written about before I got hit by the flu last week. Had I done so, I may have been able to prevent myself from contracting it and would have hopefully saved me from the inconveniences of having to buy tissue paper for my runny nose and cough medication for a cough that sounds like I just shot a .45. I have also noticed that this month of January a lot of my colleagues have also started showing since of the cold. With that I guess we will see another season of flu spreading its ugly head around the block affecting unsuspecting victims along the way.

So to help prevent that from happening here are some things that you can do to help prevent it from spreading even further.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100°F or 37.8°C) or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®). Read detailed information about how long to stay away from others.

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

And to help you even more I found this rather informative video from our trusty online video source Youtube that talks and teaches us more about the flu (including those nasty and scary ones that we have heard spread in the news):

Here is what the CDC Recommends



One thing that I have learned along the way is that washing of hands regularly is one of the best and most recommended practices in preventing most kinds of infectious diseases which includes the flu. I do hope that this article has helped you out and please spread the word on how to prevent the flu rather than spreading the virus. :)

Tech Tuesday: Google Android Nexus One Launched

Google has now proven to be very aggressive in invading different areas of the IT industry. Now they have kept their word and with their new phone touch screen software Google Android leading the way, one can only guess what they have up their sleeve in the months to come. To launch their Google Android is the phone called Nexus One, which is said to be the ultimate iPhone Rival of the year. From the reviews, many positive things have been said about this new mobile phone and of course the technology that Google has placed in it.

Here is the link to the specs of the Google Android phone Nexus One: Nexus One

To further tease you and I can say it is a definite want to have for a lot of the technophiles out there, simply watch this video and see just how Nexus One promises to deliver:

Tech Tuesday: Cheapest 12 Inch Notebook But Powerful enough for HD Graphics

MSI has done it again. Just recently here in the Philippines we got to see the new Wind U200 series hitting the market and is selling like hot cakes. Two reasons why: Very affordable price and Excellent Specs.

In terms of pricing the U200 series comes in a price range of Php18000 ($391) to Php22000($478). This is due to the Dual Core Processors that run on Low Voltage and of course Low cost. However, unlike the old netbooks that we have seen in the past, these 12 inch laptops are quite capable of handling what a normal laptop would with a Windows Experience Index Score of 3.2. Battery life runs at 4 - 6 hours and is equipped with Windows 7. It doesn't have a DVD or CD Drive which is also why the netbooks in the past have also been able to be priced quite low but in the modern age of wireless fidelity who really needs it.

Here are the current specs out in the market right now based on MSI's Website:

• Intel® Core™2 Duo processor, with Intel® wireless technology
• Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
(MSI recommends upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista® Business)
• 12.1" 16:9 Glittering Crystal Frameless Screen
• 1366*768 HD Ready Display for clearer and sharper images
• 1.3kg ultra lightweight and ultraportable design
• 6.5 hrs* extended battery life
• HDMI Output
• LED power-saving backlight technology
• Brand new msi Ergonomic De-stress Keyboard

And if you still aren't sold on the idea of getting one here is a video review to help you get a clearer picture of what to expect and I have to say you had better make a decision fast since this one is about to be sold out before the month of January even ends:

Music Monday: Mariah Carey's I Want to Know What Love is (Remix)

Mariah is back and is making one hit after another. Now with her new single - reviving the old song with I Want To Know What Love is. Here on Empty Streets 1027 we not only give you the song but we have featured here for you the dance remix version to perk things up for you a bit this Monday. So here is the pumped up version of Mariah's Single: I Want To Know What Love Is.

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!

Empty Streets Special: New Look for the New Year

I guess the new layout was long over due and I was trying to figure out how to the things that I wanted to do and finally was able to get things done the way I wanted it to be. Hoping that you all like the new layout and that it is something that you will find easy to use.

In the mean time here is a cool video of the single from Beyonce Video Phone: