Whenever I’m forced to suffer the humid heat of Tokyo’s hot and rainy summers, I’m grateful for the large number of vending machines and convenience stores, all ready to sell me a nice, cold drink. It seems that not everyone shares my excitement, however, as a large percentage of Japan’s residents have shown distaste for chilled beverages. Some quote health reasons, while others just don’t like cold drinks. Lucky for them, the convenience store, Daily Yamazaki, is ready to meet their call.

In a survey conducted by a big beverage producer, it was found that 40 percent of consumers are interested in buying drinks that were sold at room temperature. Their reasons were many and varied. “It’s for the sake of my health and beauty,” said one responder.

Many people feel that lukewarm water is good for taking medicine. “I don’t like cold drinks; I’ve always preferred room temperature,” said another. “I hate it when condensation gets the inside of my bag all wet,” explained a third.

In order to test the reception of lukewarm drinks in stores, select branches of the convenience store chain Daily Yamazaki began offering 555mL bottles of water and 500mL bottles of tea in displays separate from their cold cases. Apparently, the test was successful, as reports show that the four branches in Tokyo which offered room temperature drinks had 40 percent more drink sales than their regular counterparts.

Starting on the first of July, approximately 600 of the Daily Yamazaki’s 1,600 nation-wide stores will introduce an new drink corner with lukewarm tea and water in addition to their usual variety of chilled drinks. They come highly recommended as an accompaniment to any bentou lunchbox.

Source: Yahoo! Japan News via Alfalfa Mosaic (Japanese)
Top image: FastCompany

To illustrate why this experiment is necessary, I surfed Pinterest for like 10 mins. just to find a photo of Amish people. I may be a lost cause.

What are your favorite activities away from screens and drinks?

Perennial favorite ice cream flavor, the last version was with Bison Chocolate Stout, this time I used Oakshire Brewing’s Overcast Espresso Stout, picked up on last fall’s PacNW RoadTrip. Yum! I ate and gave away all the ice cream before I remembered to take a picture. Oops. The recipe doesn’t use a full bottle, so then there was some to drink as well, which was quite nice. Oh! I’ll have to try as a float next time I do this!!!

Ingredients:
1 banana
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 almond milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5 ice cubes

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender and liquefy until all ice is broken down and smoothie is blended completely.
Pour into a large glass & enjoy!

True to its name, Dessert Gallery showcases a variety of sweet treats and drinks.

Dessert Gallery has two locations in Houston, one on the upper portion of Kirby Drive and the other near the Galleria Mall on Post Oak Boulevard.

The Post Oak Boulevard location has a very friendly staff. The owners are frequently there, often manning the serving station themselves. Being a bakery and café, the atmosphere is warm and offers free Wi-Fi. Seating is similar to other cafés, cozy and limited, but a great deal of extra seating is available on the bakery’s patio.

Being near the Galleria, Dessert Gallery has many other restaurants and shops near it, making finding parking easy. The location is also easily accessible and can be seen from the road.

Dessert Gallery’s walls are covered in vibrant colors along with a few small TVs that continuously have videos playing of the various desserts being prepared and decorated.

Upon walking into Dessert Gallery you see the glass cases of desserts, put on display welcoming an internal debate on what to get. The desserts include layer cakes, mousse cakes, pies, cheesecakes, cupcakes and various other little desserts.

Cakes can be enjoyed by the slice and cost around $7, the price may seem a bit much, but they are generous with the portions they serve. The other desserts bought by the slice are a few dollars cheaper. The little desserts are all under $3.25.

Dessert Gallery also offers sandwiches, wraps and salads, all for under $7. Other services of Dessert Gallery include catering and nationwide shipping of their desserts. Their most popular shipping item, the cakes, can be bought in sizes ranging from six inches to full sheets and prices of $27.50 to $225.

For the frequent customers, a free card can be gotten that you have stamped each time you get a slice of cake. After your eighth slice of cake, you get one free. Dessert Gallery gives you the option to enjoy a glass of milk with your dessert of choice along with various coffees, soft drinks or water.

Top selling cakes of Dessert Gallery include the French Vanilla Cake, Old Fashioned Dinner Cake and Red Velvet Cake. Rich and simply decorated, after tasting these cakes you will not be left wondering why they are customer favorites.

These layer cakes include two layers of cake, separated by a thin layer of icing and topped with the same. The Red Velvet Cake, my personal favorite, is iced with a classic, rich cream cheese icing. Slightly off-white, this icing provides a visually stimulating contrast of colors when the cake is cut into and the deep red of the cake is revealed.

Dessert Gallery is a great place to go with friends and hang out after a day of shopping or to treat your sweet tooth.

What you do is: cut them up along with some strawberries and boil them in water for about 10 minutes. I added some vanilla as well. Strain it. Boil it again, this time with sugar (and lots of it). Skim it. Mix with cool water in a glas – instant summer groove!

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup instant tea

1 large jar tang

Use 2 Tablespoon mix per boiling water, for regular size cup. Use 3 tablespoon mix for large mug.

Debbie Miller

Do you take sugar in your tea or coffee?? You could be consuming anywhere up to 500 kcal extra EVERY DAY!!

2 teaspoons of sugar is equivalent to 47kcal, and so if you are drinking five coffees a day you’re looking at an indulgence of 250kcals. The equivalent of a bowl of cereal with milk, or 1 banana, 2 apples, and 2 oranges!!!

Additionally, if you take milk ensure you are buying semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, and not whole. Whole milk is only recommended for toddlers who need a higher fat diet. All the calcium found in milk is contained within the water part and so removing the cream will not affect the calcium levels!

And if you only drink soft drinks don’t think you’re off the hook…

While diet sodas may contain a low or no sugar content, research has shown that the sweeteners used to replace sugar only serve to retain your sweet tooth. Try to reduce your intake slowly, rather than going cold turkey. As with many addictive substances trying to quit overnight can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and sugar cravings.

What about fruit juice, though? That’s healthy, isn’t it?

Many of the cartons of juice you buy in your local supermarket contain hidden sugars. Always read the packaging, if it says ‘juice drink’ then expect to see added sugars in the ingredients list.

Well, I only drink flavoured water…

And rather than spending money buying flavoured water, which also contain sweeteners (and often added sugar), why not try adding a few slices of lemon or some berries to your water bottle.

I know alcohol’s bad, but everything in moderation, right?

Did you know that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat, And almost twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein.

Two bottles of beer contain as many calories as a sirloin steak…

And one pint of cider is equivalent to eating a sugary doughnut!

Try to make the healthiest choices, particularly when you know you will be drinking larger quantities than usual. Replace sugar-laden cider or beer with white spirits. and replace soda with fruit juice.

A glass of red wine definitely has some health benefits, but so does 1 piece of dark chocolate, and you wouldn’t eat a whole sharing size block, would you? Yet many of us are happy to guzzle down up to 3 bottles over the weekend. One large glass of red wine contains 175kcal, equivalent to two low-fat yogurts or a small bar of chocolate. WOW!

Any eye-openers in there??

There are definitely ways to reach your 6-8 glasses of water per day, without having to drink it in its purest form. So have some fun experimenting with ways to make water tastier without adding excessive levels of sugar or sweeteners!

Try to make the healthiest choices, particularly when you know you will be drinking larger quantities than usual. Replace sugar-laden cider or beer with white spirits. and replace soda with fruit juice.

Tomorrow: Food myths debunked

I wish I had one of these at home. So convenient and practical considering there is only 1 person who likes coffee in our house.

Katie says: Coffee is just for grownups. Yuk!

• 4 cups rhubarb (or 1 lb), chopped
• 2 cups water
• sugar to taste (I used less than 1/4 cup, you want the rhubarb to be a little tart)
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• club soda
• vodka
• lemon
• mint

In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar, rhubarb, and vanilla bean to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the rhubarb is very soft. Strain the liquid from the fruit and vanilla bean using a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Return the liquid to the stove to reduce further, about 20 more minutes. Allow the syrup to cool (it won’t be as thick as regular simple syrup because of the small amount of sugar used). Mix with club soda, vodka, lemon wedges, and mint sprigs. Enjoy!

Tall with broad shoulders, sparkly brown eyes, all his hair, a great ass, and a super handsome face, I knew I was sunk as soon as I saw him. When conversation hummed along between us, showcasing his amazing sense of humor, I was like, And why didn’t I schedule this date at night???

But I’m nothing if not reliable and punctual, so we ended our date on time and I got to wherever it was I had to be going. Within the hour, though, Date 9 and I were texting each other, trying to make plans to see each other again.

Since we happened to be on mostly the same divorced-parent kid schedule, my dating calendar was the only obstacle. And for whatever reason, it was a busy week. The only options were six days out and later that night, so we arranged to meet for drinks at 9:00 p.m.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said in that dreamy voice of his when I showed up, and I knew I couldn’t wait to go back to his place.

Later that night, the sex did not disappoint. In fact, it was so good, I knew my carefree dating attitude might be in jeopardy. Both of us were adamant about the fact that we didn’t want to commit to anything, though, since we were both still in the filed-but-not-yet-granted stages of our respective divorces, and both of us had tricky kid situations to which we suspected a non-blood-related significant other might not enjoy being a party.

But that’s the thing about dating: you never know when you’re going to meet someone who unquestionably rocks your world.

Orange County’s largest Irish cultural festival returned for its 38th annual run this past Father’s Day weekend at Oak Canyon Park out in the hills of Irvine. This festival celebrates Irish culture by throwing together thousands of traditional Irish step dancers, a handful of Celtic bands, lots of characters, and more vendors than you can shake a clover at. First-time visitors to this fair may feel overwhelmed at all the activities available – after all, they call it the BIG Irish Fair for a good reason. Luckily, this fair takes place on two consecutive days, allowing guests to select which day they want to explore this fair. The event staff provides a map of the fair, as long as guests can read it and get past the immediate wave of vendors upon walking in through the front gate.

Once past the initial wave of vendors, guests will find a Fish & Chips booth and the Sean Baun’s Stage, complete with its own lineup of Celtic bands.

Continuing onwards past the stage and the lake places guests out in a wide field with many more things to see and do. One of the exhibits out here features Irish automobiles, including real DeLoreans.

Guests would find animals to the right of the automobiles. The animals including herding border collies and the sheep herd, and Irish wolfhounds.

On the other side of the automobiles, the Emerald Bowl sat under the shade of the big tree. This stage’s lineup included more of the younger, modern Celtic bands that carried more modern rock sounds, such as a Celtic reggae band, and a handful of Irish punk bands.

Down at the far end of the fair, guests will find three shaded stages housing the Irish step dancing competitions, where girls display their precision and grace with their fluid and bouncing movements.

Immediately adjacent to the step dancing area lies the football field. Throughout the day, teams would appear on the field to play rounds of football (soccer) or Gaelic football (offshoot of rugby).

Following a counter-clockwise route from the entrance after the athletic fields, the Innisfree Pavilion allows guests to observe and participate in reenactments of traditional Irish life, including demos on playing with Irish musical instruments.

In this back area, guests could purchase some of the art on display randomly throughout the fair.

Continuing full-circle, we now return to the front of the fair on the left side of the entrance, where more vendors set up shop.

Completing the circle tour of the fair, we end up at the Shamrock Bowl, where the traditional Celtic bands played to large crowds all weekend.

At random points during the fair, bagpipe bands would march and play around the fair, each representing a different squad/team.

The Big Irish Fair hosted its own Rose of Tralee pageant, but had already selected their Rose of Tralee prior to the fair. Think of the Rose of Tralee like an Irish version of Miss America, because the organization selects a young woman with the beauty and brains to represent their organization for a year.

The Big Irish Fair has now completed its 38th year running, operating very similarly to how they did many years ago. Of note, they use traditional means of marketing and advertising the fair. Today, the new generation uses a lot of internet and social media to get word of events out to the public, as well as publications like local newspapers or magazines. In the past few years I have attended the Irish Fair, I barely discovered any form of marketing – I personally originally discovered it through word of mouth. Speaking of the past few years, very little has changed as far as structure and activities. If you attended the Irish Fair many years ago, you would not miss a lot in the recent years of the fair. Also, for an Irish Fair, the fair did not sell Irish food, or at least American Irish food. One booth sold Fish & Chips, but at a quality like a county or state fair, meaning mostly fried with little regard to the quality of the fish and chips. Another booth posted a Corned Beer & Cabbage sign; however, that booth lied with the sign because they sold corned beef sandwiches that contained so little meat. For a true corned beef sandwich, head to Roscoe’s Deli in Fullerton, where they pile on over a pound of meat on your sandwich. In the end, first or second time visitors to the fair will enjoy it, especially if you attend with friends and/or family. But as the fair barely changes year after year, attending more than two years in the row yields less excitement. If you have not gone, then I certainly recommend attending next year. If you already have attended, spread the word out to your friends and family. For such a low price to enter, any new attendee will easily get his or her money’s worth.

Frozen Banana Daiquiris

From cocktails on the deck to pool parties, Frozen Banana Daiquiris will make a splash at any hot weather gathering.

A refreshing treat for drop-in guests, these frosty sippers can be whipped up in no time. Make them extra special by serving in stylish glasses like these from Anchor Hocking.

Garnish with fresh lime and banana slices—and savor a thirst-quenching drink perfect during the hazy days of summer.

FROZEN BANANA DAIQUIRIS

Lime wedges
Sugar
1/2 cup light rum
1/3 cup orange flavored liqueur, such as Triple Sec
Juice from 2 medium limes
4 ripe medium bananas
1/3 cup sugar (more or less, to taste)
3 cups crushed ice
Lime slices (optional)
Banana slices (optional)
Coat the rims of glasses with lime wedges; dip in sugar. In a blender, combine rum, orange flavored liqueur, lime juice, bananas, 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 cups crushed ice. Blend 30 seconds or until well combined. Add the remaining 1 cup ice; blend until slushy. Garnish with lime and banana slices, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Thanks to Anchor Hocking for providing barware

The first weekend was AWESOME. I went out both Thursday and Friday night with myroommates and a couple other people that are living in the NYU dorms. It was easy to connect with all the different people because we all were willing to meet knew people and make friends; I can honestly say that the group that I went out with this weekend will be a solid group for the rest of my time here.

Thursday night I went to a bar called the Tap Room. It is a couple streets down from where I am living, and although drinks are expensive here, the music is awesome and the environment is very laid back. We all stayed out late, talked about our internships, where we are from and where we go to school. It was a relaxing day that had to be cut short because some of us had work at 8 or 9 in the morning.

Now, Friday was a different story. I met up with a friend that I went to school with in Maryland after work. We ate dinner at this awesome restaurant/lounge called the Cafeteria, I totally recommend.

After an amazing dinner I went back to my dorm and found a few people there ready to party. It was my roommates friends birthday so of course everyone was going hard. I quickly got dressed and we were ready to hit the road for our mile walk to this place called SideBar. We got to SideBar around 11:45 which was perfect timing. The bar was just starting to get crowded and the dance floor just opened up.

The best thing about SideBar was that Friday was a five dollar cover charge but you got two tickets if you were an Intern which you could use at the bar to get a free beer or mixed drink.

I honestly could not have asked for a better first friday night in the City that never Sleeps.

Some of us just can’t wait until weekend. But that’s okay. Release your mid-week stress at tomorrow night’s Equinox Experience at Fiction long street. 

What’s the cost?

FREE before 10 p.m (so get there early) and only R50 thereafter.
Doors open at 9.

Drink specials?

Until 10.

Why does everyone love the Equinox Experience?

Some say because of the kick-ass sound system or the 21-and-over policy to keep the kiddiewinks out. Others come for the “hot trance betties” and free entrance. But, let’s get real. What we really come for is a good jam, a mind-blowing stomping experience to help you detach from the day-to-day bullsh*t.

Close your eyes and lose yourself in the music.

THE LINE-UP?

10:00  Kriss-Kross

00:00  The Primordial Dude

01:30  gandalf grey.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Find out all the details HERE.

Get Psyked with Equinox Experience.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Take a listen to this track by Kriss-Kross as a little warm-up.
Loving it. 

In the spirits market, bacon is taking over. From vodka to bourbon, the salty pork product is bringing a whole new layer to today’s cocktails. Click here for a great link to several bacon-inspired recipes to “man-up” your summer drinks.

We also recommend trying Crown Royal Maple with a little bacon. It’s heaven. Enjoy!

(c) Katie Cornwell

Welp, we’re finally experiencing a bit of summer heat in Paris.  It’s more like tropical rainstorms between the 10am thunder and lightning and then 90% humidity and 80^oF in the afternoon…  So weird.  But at least it gives us an excuse to drink cool lemonades and icy cocktails!

This particular citronnade fraise-basilique (strawberry and basil lemonade) was inspired by a lunch at the Boulders resort in Scottsdale, AZ with my good friend, Nadine Jolie.  It’s super-easy to whip up and you can always make a batch to store in the fridge for later.

(c) Celine Bliss

I didn’t measure anything, so just mix and taste to find what suits you!  Fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup (or just plain sugar), water, a handful of basil, diced up strawberries and water. Invite your friends, pour over glasses full of ice and take outside to beat the heat!

Not only does it make you feel like Don Draper in Mad Men, but as you take a sip through the ice and orange peel you’ll get a abrupt smack in the face followed by a smooth after taste as it floats down your neck. A proper Gentleman’s drink.

Moving on, I had just about the best Old Fashioned there is last week and there couldn’t have been a better setting. Rules, the oldest restaurant in London and one of the most celebrated in the world. Now, it’s not the restaurant you want it’s the ‘Tradesman’s Entrance’ on the side. Up you go to the cocktail bar which reeks of old fashioned elegance, spanning the reigns of nine monarchs, it has been owned by only three families.

The Old Fashioned is a simple drink consisting of a sugar lump, Angusturo bitters, an orange peel, a few dashes of water and your alcohol or choice, normally a Bourbon or Rye.

Here’s where I let you in to a little secret. Try this with El Dorado rum - it’s absolutely remarkable (I’ve got a certain old boss to thank for that one). I’ve also heard that Rittenhouse 100 Rye is amazing, i’ll be trying this at my next opportunity.

So, kick back, grab the required ingredients and let me know how you get on, Cheers!

On my journey towards health, I have had also had to change what I drink. My past beverages were dictated by countless packets of Splenda or other toxic chemicals to limit the amount of sugar I was consuming. It is what I was taught and I believed it all the same. I ran on Dunkin Donuts coffee and Diet coke in-between. Having always loved water, that wasn’t the issue, but what I didn’t realize was that I was drinking liquids that were stealing the water I was drinking, making me dehydrated. Soda has been completely eliminated from my life and so has Dunkin Donuts. Why did I give up Dunkin too? Well, not only is Splenda an issue but so is the genetically modified sugar that I could have used. As a previous flavor junkie, I also learned that my French vanilla flavoring had gluten in it. It made me wonder, why does my drink need gluten? I am not a saint and still fall to a Starbuck Chai Latte with whole milk from time to time. I like the Tazo Tea company that they use. I also opt for whole milk, because it isn’t altered to be lower in fat. Ideally, I would like organic.

I am in love with the drinks you see pictured above. They are delicious (except for the Noni, all the way to the left) and do wonders for your body. Drinking these beauties can help detoxify you, clean your digestive system, ward and fight off disease and help you stay hydrated.
Let’s start with the hardest one to drink, but it lends a huge helping hand. Noni Fruit has shown antioxidant, immune-stimulating, and tumor-fighting properties. It also has a pain fighting ability, which helped me with my radiation induced arthritis. Take a shot and have a juice or water handy to help with the taste. I bought mine at TJ Maxx for $3.99- an inexpensive and completely healing drink. When I was experiencing a lot of back pain and arthritis, I was taking 1 to 2 shots (1 1/2 oz) daily. Now I take as needed or every 2 weeks.
The next two in line are Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, one is juice drink and the other is the straight vinegar. My favorite drink is their Concord Grape and Acai Juice with Apple Cider Vinegar (AVC) It tastes sweet but with a kick, low sugar and calories. Not all Apple Cider Vinegar is created equal. Braggs offers unpasteurized, organic version that is supreme. It is a natural healing and cleansing agent. There are so many benefits or drinking and using ACV, I will have to create another post. Especially since it cleared up a Basal skin cancer cell on my mother’s face. As a raw, live food, drinking ACV can help your digestive system, control blood glucose, and weight-loss. Our immune system is directly linked to our digestive system so if you aren’t releasing your bowels as many times as you eat, something is wrong. ACV can help and so can the next drink.
Aloe Vera is not just for sun burns. Aloe Vera juice has been known to help with inflammation ( cause of many chronic illnesses like; arthritis and cancer). Research has shown that it also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, helps lower blood sugar, heal ulcers and promotes weight loss. Speaking of detoxing, according to an article published by the American Chronicle, written by Alien Sheng, aloe vera juice contains three powerful amino acids that help detoxify the body: methionine, threonine and molybdenum. Reportedly, these amino acids detox the colon and liver and therefore increase colonic efficiency. Take a shot or two every day, more if needed.
My last super drink of the day is Kombucha tea. Synergy is one of my favorite brands, but I am not loyal to them. I have found other great ones as well. Kombucha tea is a fermented tea with immune boosting and detoxifying properties. Drinkers of the tea have found relief from arthritis, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, poor circulation, high cholesterol and cancer, all from kombucha. It is similar in taste to Apple Cider Vinegar. I usually have 1/2 a cup a day. It does have a powerful effect on the body. If you feel dizzy or have to run to the bathroom, you have an increase in toxins that the body is trying to release. Don’t just take it once, don’t give up…Keep using it. It will get to the point where it is just another drink. That is where you want to be.

After losing my thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes to cancer, I found that I was extremely constipated. I learned that many people who lose their thyroid or are hypothyroid will have constipation. It was like no other I have ever had. Ever since I switched my drinks and eat a plant based diet, I have had no troubles. Learning how much of our immune system is linked to the digestive system has helped me understand that I need to be beyond regular to increase my body’s fighting capacity.

A time where we abstain from all earthly desires

Including foods, drinks and sex

From dawn until dusk

as we devote our lives fully to ALLAH

As prescribed to the faithful before us

Fasting is an obligatory practice and a major pillar of Islam

as it promotes chastity,humility and prevents us from sinning

it is a time which Muslims get wary of their actions

do good deeds to others

control our anger towards others

show compassion to the less fortunate

distance ourselves from lustful behavior

abstain from falsehood,ignorant and indecent speech

supplicate the name of ALLAH at any slightest opportunity

for we know of the abundant rewards

fasting is a practice of solidarity and fraternity

since we place ourselves in the position of the hungry,poor and needy

we feel the same pain our brothers and sisters endure daily

we need not to consider fasting as a punishment to us

because apart from being a religious obligation

it has a lot to offer when it comes to our medication

it reduces the risk of getting numerous diseases

more specifically being cancer and diabetes

it is also essential in our well being

as it reduces our aging process

brothers and sisters

let’s wait for the fast

IN SHA ALLAH.

]]>