The best street food in the world

Jerk chicken, Jamaica

When it comes to jerk chicken, there’s no beating the real deal fresh from a smoky jerk hut. Recipes are closely guarded secrets, but all start with chicken on the bone slathered in a marinade of allspice, thyme, scotch bonnet chillies, ginger and spring onions. The meat is left overnight to absorb the flavours before being grilled over a pimento wood BBQ, often made from a recycled oil drum. From a beach-side bar or roadside stall, Jamaican jerk chicken is best enjoyed with rice and a cold Red Stripe beer.

Chilli crab, Singapore

The quintessential Singaporean dish, chilli crab is served by street hawkers throughout this small city-state. The invention of chilli crab is credited to Cher Yam Tian, who began serving the spicy crustaceans from a street cart in the 1950s. The crabs are served whole, stir-fried in a sweet and sour sauce of tomato, egg and (of course) chilli.

Arepas, Colombia

These round corn cakes filled with cheese or meat are a ubiquitous comida rápida (fast food) in Colombia, where there are myriad regional specialities across the country. Arepas are much thicker than tortillas and will usually be grilled or baked before being stuffed or topped with cheese. Bogotá is one of the best places to try them – here, they’re particularly popular for breakfast.

Halo-halo, Philippines

A cup of multicoloured halo-halo is the perfect way to cool down on a hot and sticky Philippine summer day. Directly translated as “mix-mix”, it’s an attractive sundae-like concoction of red beans, coconut, syrup and fruit. This is usually topped with ice cream evaporated milk and shaved ice.

Bunny chow, South Africa

Don’t worry bunny lovers, this South African snack is rabbit free. It consists of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with a fragrant curry (usually chicken or mutton). As you might guess, bunny chow has its origins in India, but it is now Durban’s most famous street food, and no visit to South Africa is complete without trying it.

4 VALENTINES DAY IDEAS: HOW TO SURPRISE YOUR PARTNER?

Valentine’s Day is the celebration of love, beauty and romantic mood. Happy couples want to make it special and unforgettable, but sometime they don’t know what to do to make their beloved remember this day forever.
Here are our 4 tips and ideas on how you can surprise your partner and make this day beautiful and special:

1) First date again

You and your partner can agree to play one interesting game together: pretend (like actors) that you’ve just met and this is your first date, try to act, as if it was true. Look at each other the same way you did when you first met, be shy, talkative, joke around, ask the same questions that you asked before, make it fun and remember all the feelings you had on your real first date. This will add even more of a romantic sparkle to already special Saint Valentine’s Day.

2) Create a day of surprises for your beloved

Arrange some help from your friends and acquaintances to help you organise everything. For example, here is one interesting idea for guys: imagine the two of you (you and your girl) walking in the park and, suddenly, you see the box of chocolates on the bench with flowers and a Valentine’s day card. She opens it up, reads…and it happens to be a card from you addressed to her. This will be an unforgettable experience for your spacial lady!

If you are a married couple, you also can spice up your love life. Here is one example of how a husband can surprise his wife: you can go to a restaurant together for a romantic dinner and then, when you come back home you see that the room is covered with rose petals and candles are lightened; all this surprise was prepared while you had that dinner together, because when you left home, everything was usual and normal (of course, you will need to organise it with your friends’ help and prepare everything in advance, but it’s worth it!) We assure you that your lady will remember this day until the end of her life.

3) Layered surprise

Buy ten envelopes of different sizes form small ones to bigger and bigger and bigger ones, so that these envelops can fit inside each other, like a Russian doll, Matryoshka; then write a love letter to your beloved and put it into the smallest envelop, then place it into a bigger one, then again to bigger ones and so on…Send it to your partner by mail and make sure that your lady receives it on Valentine’s Day; try to be next to her when she opens it up, to make sure that she digs deep until that last envelop to find your love message inside. Not only both of you will have fun and laugh, but also you will make this day very special.

Here is another option of similar romantic surprise: buy 5 or 10 boxes of different sizes and use the same principle of ‘Matryoshka’. Hide a present and a Valentine’s Day card inside the smallest box, then pack all of them into each other and give this gift to your beloved. You will see how many great and positive emotions these simple things can bring to both of you.

4) A romantic dinner with contests and prizes

To make Valentine’s Day special, organise a romantic dinner for two. You can spend time cooking together at home and when the dinner time comes, surprise your beloved with a special program of fun contests and, of course, there will be prizes to win! This little touch of creativity will make your dinner time more fun and entertaining and, at the end of the evening, when it’s time to receive prizes, it will become romantic… 😉

Going Shopping

1

Make a list. The best way to be prepared for your trip to the grocery store is to have a list of all the items you need to buy. That way, you know exactly what you need, can avoid impulse items, and won’t leave the store having forgotten 

something you need. To make a comprehensive list:

• Go through your cupboards to see what staples you're running low on. This could include flour, sugar, canned goods, rice, spices, tea, and coffee.
• Check your refrigerator to see if you need any fruits, vegetables, juice, or other beverages.
• Create a planned menu for the next week or two. Look over the recipes you'll be making and ensure you have all the necessary ingredients.
• Look through your storage closets and pantries to see if you need any bathroom or facial tissue, soaps, dish detergents, or other household goods.

2

Check flyers for sales and coupons. If you're looking to save a few dollars at the grocery store, look through store flyers or online for the items that are on sale for the week.

• If you find coupons for any items on your list, clip them out or make a note of the brand that’s on sale.
• If you have a few grocery stores nearby, compare the prices of items listed in the flyers, and make lists of what items you intend to buy at each store to get the best price.
• To avoid spending extra money, only use coupons and flyers for items you were already going to buy.

3

Get to the store. Because you may be buying a large quantity of food, it’s always best if you can take your own vehicle or get a ride to the grocery store. Otherwise, determine a route you can walk or bike, or find what public transit routes will get you to the store you wish to shop at.

• Don’t forget to take your reusable shopping bags with you.
• If you're taking public transit or walking, consider using a rolling cart or large backpack that you can use to transport your groceries back from the store.

4

Grab a cart or hand basket. When you get to the grocery store, locate a shopping cart (if you need a lot of items) or a hand-basket (if you only need a few items). This will make your shopping experience much easier.

• Shopping carts and baskets are often located near or just inside the doors.

Selecting Food

1

Place items in your cart or basket as you shop. If you brought reusable bags with you, don’t use them to carry your groceries: most stores prefer that you use the carts or hand-baskets.

• Make sure you don’t crush smaller, delicate, or fresh produce items with larger items as you shop.
• If you're using a cart, use the upper section near the handle for delicate things like fruit and eggs.

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   Get fresh produce. The produce section is where you'll find all the fresh fruits and vegetables on your list, such as apples, oranges, bananas, lettuce, carrots, and other produce items.
   

   • While each fruit and vegetable has a different indicator of ripeness, you generally want to look for firm fruits and vegetables that aren't bruised, dented, or otherwise damaged.
   • Try to buy fruits and vegetables in all colors to ensure you're getting the maximum vitamins and nutrients from your food.
   • Remember that fresh produce won’t last as long as frozen, so only buy what you and your family will eat over the next week or so.

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   Ask for help at the deli, butcher, and seafood counters. If you want to purchase fresh or specialty meat or seafood items, line up at the various counters. Wait your turn in line if there is one, and when it’s your turn, the person behind the counter will ask if you need help.
   

   • Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the products. You can even ask for samples if you aren't sure you'll like something.
   • Remember that meat and seafood have short shelf lives if they aren't frozen, so only buy what you'll be able to eat.

   
   
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   Get baked goods from the bakery section. The bakery section is where you'll find items like bread, buns, and baked desserts like pies and cookies. Depending on your grocery store, you may even find fresh pizza dough, bread crumbs, crackers, and other baked goods in this department.
   

   • Sometimes, bakery departments will bake their own bread, and these loaves are often uncut. If you want the loaf sliced, take it to the bakery counter and ask them to slice it.
   • Many bakery departments also make fresh cakes that are baked to order, and you can have these customized and decorated for birthdays and other events. Talk to the people behind the bakery counter to find out what services they offer.

   
   
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   Locate grocery items in the aisles. All your dried, canned, and baking goods will be located in the aisles in the center of the store. This includes pasta, rice, sugar, flour, spices, crackers, and cookies, plus canned beans, soups, sauces, vegetables, and other staples.
   

   • When buying canned goods, avoid cans that are dented, punctured, or bulging. Canned goods are great to have on hand, because they last much longer than fresh staples like produce, meat, and bread.
   • These center aisles are also where you'll find household items such as toilet paper and dish soap.

   
   
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   Stop by the freezers and refrigerated sections. In the freezers, you'll find frozen meat, prepared foods (such as burgers or meat pies), fruits and vegetables, and side dishes and snacks (such as ice cream and French fries). The refrigerators will hold dairy products, juices, prepared foods, packaged foods, and prepackaged meats.
   

   • Frozen foods like fruits and vegetables that don’t have added ingredients (like salt or oil) are just as nutritious as fresh produce, and they are typically cheaper and will last longer. Just make sure you're going right home, otherwise your frozen items may start to melt

   
   
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   Check out the bulk section. Some grocery stores also have items available in bulk, and this could include spices, candy, snacks, dry goods like grains and pastas, and dried fruits and staples.
   

   • If you take any of these items, make sure you write down the bin number for each item. There will often be white twist ties you can use to seal your bags and write the bin numbers on. Look for pens located near the bags.
   • When buying items in bulk, pay attention to the price per weight. Sometimes things will be price per gram, pound, or another unit of measure, and this can add up quickly.
   • Some stores will have scales that you can use to weigh your produce or bulk items, and weighing your bags will give you an idea of the final cost of your bulk items.

   
   
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   Try to avoid the junk food aisles. These tend to be located in the very middle of the store, right in the center of all the healthy grocery staples. This is where you'll find pop, chips, candies, and other unhealthy snacks. If you can avoid going down these aisles, the junk food will be out of sight and out of mind, so you won’t be tempted to buy it.
   

   • While it’s OK to indulge once in a while, junk food is not part of a healthy meal plan, and these types of foods tend to be very pricey.

   
   
7. Checking Out

1

Locate the checkout counter. For convenience, checkout counters are usually located in between entrances or near exits. Each checkout counter will likely have a number above it, and if the number is lit up, that means the lane is open to use.

• Most checkouts usually have express lanes that are reserved for customers who only have a few items. The express lanes will say how many items you can take through that lane. If you have more than the limit, use a regular checkout.
• If you're in a hurry and looking for the quickest line, look for the line with the fewest people, regardless of how many items each person has in their cart. Paying takes longer than ringing items through, so the more people have to pay, the longer checkout will take

2

Place your items on the belt. Line up behind the last person in the checkout lane you’ve chosen, but make sure you don’t crowd them with your cart or basket. Move toward the conveyor as the line shortens.

• When space frees up on the conveyor belt, grab a rubber divider from the side of the checkout and place it on the belt to divide your groceries from those of the person ahead of you.
• Start placing your items on the belt, but don’t crowd your food so that things get squished, bruised, or dented. More room will become available to you as the cashier rings through items ahead of you.
• Place large items and boxes on the belt first, and leave delicate items and fresh produce until the end so that it doesn’t get crushed.

How to Make Baby Food

If you want to be in complete control of what your baby eats, making baby food instead of buying it is an excellent choice. Food that comes in a jar or pouch is often highly processed and combined with sodium and sugars—plus it's more expensive. When you make baby food at home, you can choose your baby's favorite fruits, vegetables and meats, steam and puree them using a food processor, and freeze them in convenient portions. If nothing but the most nutritious, delicious food will do for your baby, nothing beats making it yourself.

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   Use fresh produce at peak ripeness. Produce is at its most nutritious and flavorful when it's perfectly ripe. Since you won't be adding sugar and salt to the food, it's important to choose ripe produce - otherwise, it will taste bland. Look for produce that is brightly colored and ripe without being too soft or bruised.^[1] Follow individual guides for each type of fruit and vegetable to determine when specific items are ripe.
   

   • Farmer's markets are great places to find fresh produce at its peak, since they tend to stock only fruits and vegetables that are in season.
   • You can use frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, but it's better to use fresh whenever possible. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables often have additives to help preserve them. Read the label carefully if you decide to buy frozen or canned vegetables.

   2 Choose organic produce when possible. Many fresh fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides and other chemicals before they are harvested. If possible, shop in the organic section of your supermarket so you can be sure the food you make for your baby is chemical-freSome fruits and vegetables are more apt to become contaminated by fruits and vegetables than others. For example, apples are treated with more pesticides than any other produce, so you may want to go out of your way to buy organic apples.^[2] Avocados, on the other hand, aren't treated with as many pesticides.
   

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How to get ready for a party

Parties can be some of the highlights of your social life. However, getting ready for a party can sometimes be stressful. You want to be dressed appropriately and in the right mood to really enjoy the party. Whether you’re going by yourself or with friends, there are plenty of ways to make sure you’re ready to go.

Getting in the Mood

1

Prepare anything you need to bring. If you’re not sure what to bring, ask your host. They may tell you not to bring anything out of politeness. In this case, respect their request; although, you could still give them a card or a thoughtful note. If you can’t bring a gift, a bottle of wine or vase of flowers are good options.

• Potluck: a dish to share.
• Birthday party or baby shower: a gift suitable for the recipient.
• Dinner party: a bottle of wine or a hostess gift.
• Casual high school or college parties: no gift, unless specified.

2

Get energized. Try to get plenty of rest the night before the party. That way, you’ll be able to stay up late if it’s a late night party. Even if it’s a daytime party, you still want to have the energy to be sociable and feel your best.

• Some people will drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage before going out for a late night party.
• Eat a protein-packed meal before going out. Even if there will be food at the party, you don’t want to arrive starving.

3

Listen to music. Listening to some of your favorite music is the perfect way to get excited about a party. It can get you energized and ready to dance, or just put you in a good mood.

• You can listen to music while you’re getting dressed, or while you’re driving to the party!
• Sing along. You’ll feel confident and expressive, which is a great way to feel when you arrive at a party.

4

Plan for socializing. Think about who will be at the party and how you want to interact with them. This can be especially useful if you’re shy or don’t go out very much. You can make small goals, such as, “I will talk to two new people,” or “I will introduce myself to my new coworker that I have a crush on.”

• You can even practice in the mirror if you’re really shy. Practice introducing yourself to someone by saying, “Hi, I’m ___. How do you know the host?”
• Think of topics you can talk about with other guests. Do you follow current events? Have you been working on an interesting project? Can you share a humorous story about the host?

5

Decide when you’ll arrive. Usually, it’s assumed that people will arrive at a party a little bit after it’s supposed to start. This is called being “fashionably late.” If you’re shy, you may want to arrive well after the party has started so that you can avoid having to make conversation if there are only a couple of people there early on.

• Don't be late to dinner parties, children’s parties, or parties where a space has been rented for the occasion. Doing so is considered to be rude. Aim to arrive on time.

Choosing What to Wear

1

Decide what to wear. You’ll want to plan your outfit at least partly based on what type of party it is. For example, you wouldn’t wear the same outfit to a cocktail party that you would to a Memorial Day barbecue. Choose something that’s appropriate to the occasion but that you feel comfortable and good in.

• Look at the invitation for clues about what to wear. Some invitations may say something like, “black tie optional” or “space-age theme!”
• If the invitation doesn’t say what to wear, ask the host to find out what’s appropriate. If you’re worried about the weather, ask: “Will the party be indoors or outdoors?”

2

Dress appropriately for a formal party or event. Even for formal parties and gatherings, there is a spectrum of what is expected. The event might be semi-formal, business formal, white tie, black tie, black tie optional, or creative black tie. Find out which style is appropriate for the event before you choose your outfit.

• Black tie: women will wear long evening gowns and men will wear black tuxedos.
• White tie: women should wear long evening gowns and men should wear black dress coats (tailcoats) with matching pants that have a single satin stripe (US) or double satin stripe (EU and UK).
• Business formal: both men and women should wear suits.
• Creative black tie: women can wear shorter dresses, such as cocktail dresses. Men may wear more whimsical or trendy items, such as colorful cummerbunds.

3

Plan a fun outfit for a casual get-together. A casual get together may be truly casual, such as a neighborhood potluck or barbecue. It can also be "business casual" which is very different. Dress appropriately for however casual the event will be.

• For men, business casual can mean going without a suit jacket, or wearing dark jeans instead of suit pants.
• For women, dressy casual means wearing nice shoes such as heels or classy flats with a tailored shirt and dressy pants or a nice skirt.
• For a truly casual party, wear something you feel comfortable in and that you're excited to show off to a larger social group.

4

Think about what you should wear if you are a kid. Kids are sometimes invited to adult parties, such as wedding receptions or holiday parties. However, they're most often invited to parties with and for other children. Even as a kid, you want to dress appropriately for the occasion.

• For another kid's birthday, wear the same thing you'd wear to the park or school. Something that's comfortable and can get dirty is ideal.
• For a formal gathering or a holiday party, wear clothing that reflects the style of the party: suits for boys and fancy dresses for girls.
• If there will be swimming or other kinds of water fun at the party, bring a bathing suit!

5

Consider how to dress for different seasons or weather. Parties are sometimes held outside.This can be true of barbecues, weddings, garden parties and more. Make sure to dress appropriately for the occasion while keeping the weather in mind.

• If it's a summer event, dress in light clothes. You don't want to sweat through your outfit or feel overheated.
• If the event is in winter, wear a coat or sweater. Make sure that matches your outfit in case you to put it on during the party.
• For holiday parties, be sure to dress festively, emphasizing holiday colors.

6

Ask your friends for ideas on what to wear. Whether or not your friends will be attending the party, they probably have good ideas of what would be appropriate. Ask one or two friends whose opinions you trust

• You can even post a photo of your outfit on social media to get your friends' opinions!

Tips For Online Shopping For Newborn Baby

When you are expecting your newborn, it is good if you are prepared with the basics. Some of these basic things you will need as soon as your baby is born. Usually towards the last few days of your due date, you will not feel like going out for shopping; therefore you can depend on online shopping stores for those last minute requirements. When you browse through the shopping sites, you will feel a heightened eagerness to shop online since the online stores offer very competitive rates in comparison to the normal market rates.

Online Shopping For Newborn Baby can be very exciting. It feels great to have a chance to look at a wide variety of products with varying detail and colors. However, it is important first to understand the things your child will need as soon as he or she is born. BabyCouture lays down a few guidelines to shop for your newborn.

The basic requirement for a newborn starts with diaper essentials. A stack of diaper and wipes for a newborn are a must since newborn babies need ten to twelve diaper changes throughout the day. A diaper bag and changing mats will take care of the diapering essentials.

A newborn baby needs four clothes per day on an average. So, you will need at least fifteen clothes in stock so that you will not need to do laundry every day. Moreover, you also have to be prepared for rainy days when your baby clothes will take time to dry.

Now comes the baby care part where you need to shop for products like - baby cream, lotion, shampoo, soap, powder etc; which will keep your baby clean and fresh. A diaper rash cream is essential in case of any rashes or irritation. Also, keep nail clippers handy since a newborn might scratch himself or herself as their nails are generally very sharp.

When doing Online Shopping For Newborn Baby, your next focus should be on bedding sets and a mosquito net. Generally, an infant bed should be without a pillow; however you can try using pillow with rai seeds.

Since, newborns are unaccustomed with the outside temperature so they are prone to cold. It is very important to keep a couple of cozy blankets and wraps ready to offer them all the warmth and comfort they need. Baby sleeping bags are very common these days to help your little one sleep better. For the first few months your baby will sleep throughout the day; waking up only to be fed or for a diaper change.

Finally, if your newborn is dependent on milk supplements then feeding bottles, milk powder, bottle covers and the supplement itself will pretty much cover up the whole thing. Do remember to sterilize the bottles; you can even rely on electrical sterilizers which you can easily buy online.

How to Choose Baby Clothes

Girl colors, boy colors and adorable prints may be what draws you to a rack of baby clothes. To make your final selection, though, you need to consider safety, comfort, and practicality -- easy to put on and washable. Oh, and you probably want to consider the price, too. It's OK to shop in secondhand stores or high-quality consignment shops for babies for most things. Just be sure to wash everything first.

Safety first: no buttons, bows, or ties. Stay away from clothes with small buttons, decorative rhinestones or bows, because they can be choking risks. Clothes with long ties or that pull tightly around your baby's arms, legs, or neck are also unsafe. Make sure decorations are sewed on tight.

Pick fire-safe sleepwear. Labels on your baby's sleepwear will indicate whether it needs to be worn snugly to be fire-retardant or if the fabric itself is flame-retardant. Flame-resistant fabrics have specific laundry instructions for you to follow to keep the retardant from washing away. In fact, this is one place where secondhand items may not be a good choice -- if they've been washed incorrectly they've lost their effectiveness.

Shop by your baby's weight, not age. Age doesn't mean much when it comes to baby clothes; different brands size clothing differently. Weight is a better measure and it is listed along with age on many baby clothes.

Think about how easy clothes will be to put on and take off. Dressing a wiggling newborn can be a bit of a struggle. Follow these tips when you choose clothes to keep dressing easier.

• Wide necks or snaps at the neck make dressing easier. (If you pick clothes that pull over the head, do it quickly because babies panic when their breathing is blocked or when they can't see you.)
• Snaps and zippers in the front are easier to put on and take off than those on the back.
• Loose sleeves pull on and off easier than tight ones.
• Snaps or other easy openings at the crotch make it quicker and easier to change diapers – you don’t have to take off all your baby's clothes.