Wednesday, May 30, 2012

I Could Give Up Chocolate But I'm Not a Quitter!



This afternoon when I opened Pinterest, I was greeted to a stream of wonderful images of chocolate desserts. One mouth watering creation after the other. I just hate to share these divine deserts with you. I am a serious chocoholic. I have at least one piece of chocolate a day, and a maximum of one bar. I work it off in the gym, and consider it a part of my balanced diet. Because that's what it's all about. However, about a third of the chocolate I consume in a week is dark chocolate. It's healthy, and the taste just seems a little more sincere in comparison to all the sugar and milk of the milk-chocolates!










 

All images via Pinterest or tumblr.
Title Quote via here

Another Picture Perfect Wedding: Vintage, Summery Wedding Set-up


This gorgeous, vintage-inspired backyard wedding set up is beyond adorable. The flowers are perfect, the colors energizing, the couple so in love, the set up so cute, the deserts look divine. It's perfect. If you're looking for a more intimate, backyard, garden, or summer inspired set up for a wedding, this one will definitely make it to your inspiration board! If not, well it's just beautiful eye candy, you can't look over!
A link at the end of the post will lead you to the information behind the elements behind the set-up

Enjoy:



















To see more of this gorgeous wedding set up, or find out more about it visit this link at StyleMePretty

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Moroccan Chicken Burger with Tahini-Mint-Yoghurt Sauce

I can just drool by reading the title of this recipe!...sorry! As much as I love pasta, a great steak, french fries, or a great club sandwich, there's also something about eastern food; the spices, the flavors, the depth. This recipe, via aapplemint.com, makes for a delicious combination of a 'juicy-fun-to-hold-and-can't-wait-to-bite-into burger & eastern flavors that just dance in your mouth and make you feel good!


If you live in the east, you might already have so many of these ingredients at home, if not, they're super easy to get. If you live elsewhere I'm sure these ingredients are easily available at your local eastern/arab/indian grocer. The other option is to always just google a substitute for '____'. There's always inevitably a decent substitute available!

Here's the Moroccan Inspired Chicken Burger - which by the way, would be great to try out this long weekend! I know I will be trying it out later this week. However I'm already recommending it to you, because I know these flavors are just going to work and make for a great burger! Enjoy:



Ingredients (for 4 Burgers):

  • 500g mince chicken
  • 2tsp Moroccan All Spice
  • 2tsp roasted cumin seed ground to powder (adds extra fragrance)
  • 2tsp paprika
  • 1tbsp garlic
  • 1tsp sumac
  • 1tsp white pepper
  • handful of chopped mint leaves
  • salt to taste (a pinch..)
  • 4 burger buns
  • sliced tomatoes
  • lettuce leaves
For the sauce!
  • 2tbsp Tahini/Tahina (sesame paste) - sometimes called white sauce in the US...depends though
  • 1tbsp Mayonaise (try using going for the lite (healthier) option!)
  • 5tbsp thick yogurt
  • 2tbsp chopped mint
  • salt to taste (a pinch..)


Method:
For the burger patties:
Mix all burger ingredients (minus the bread, tomatoes & lettuce!) Leave to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. In a non stick pan, pour some olive oil and let it heat well. Divide the mince into 4 portions and make/shape the burger patties with your hand (leaving the edges a little thicker than the middle, to ensure even cooking). Lay on heated, oiled, pan. 

For the sauce
In the mean time, mix all the sauce ingredients and chill.

Flip the burgers when well/medium-well done on one side. Meanwhile take another frying pan to quickly toast the burger buns - after cutting them in half and adding a slight drizzle of olive oil to the inner sides. The burger patties should be done by now *remember you don't want to over cook them, otherwise the juicy moistness may cook away*

Assemble your burger my placing your lettuce, tomatoes and burger patties, and then finally layering on that refreshing delicious yogurt sauce. Adding onions to your burger is a great option too if you like. Serve immediately, and savor the warn juicy, full of flavor burger. Yummm!

Photos and Recipe (text adapted) from aapplemint.com

Monday, May 21, 2012

5 Tips to Getting & Keeping an Internship!

"Coffee runs, press bag-stuffing, paper filling, email organizing. Welcome to the glamorous world of interning!"




Landing an internship can be very very tricky, challenging, and competitive. To make it all better, the number of college graduates is increasing rapidly every year, which means the competition just got fiercer! However, that does not mean things need to get ugly. No lying, cheating, manipulating needed!...seriously. You just got to do your best, work your way up the career ladder...legally, and if anything at all, start early & be prepared in every way possible.


Here are 5 basic tips that will make the process easier for you!


1. Master the Art of the Cover Letter:
To have your best shot at your resume being tossed in to the email trashcan among a 'bajillion' other applicants', get your application noticed with a cover letter. A three concise paragraphed letter that conveys your job qualifications and skills, professional desires/goals, and your unique personality. Basically summarize your resume, add a personal touch, and sell yourself in this letter. Don't write up a research paper, otherwise into the trashcan it will go. 


One thing, always remember to address it personally so it doesn't look copy-pasted, nor like a generic letter you sent to 20 other potential employers (At the most, if you got no names (although you should be able to fish one out of the ad or company's website, address it to Dear Hiring Manager, and definitely have specific references to the company's name/department, etc within the letter, saying how you would fit their company's corporate culture and job description!)

2. Be Passionate:
It's the look in your eye (apparently, according to the interviewers/employers). the excited, but not immature, unsophisticated, but composed, eager tone in your voice. If you really want it and are prepared for it you will show it. Of course an intern's job may not be ideal, but being actively involved, i.e. dealing with press-bag goodies, or making coffee runs can be just as exciting if you make it. Being actively involved can be way better than being stuck in a cubicle, and definitely a great way to get your foot in the industry and get a feel for it.

3. Do Your Homework: 
And by that I mean know the company, know how they work, what kind of corporate culture they have, find out a bit about the interviewer if you can - you might/can discuss about projects that they are working on, or anything regarding their company. Be up to date with recent product launches, press placements, social media updates, etc. It only take about an hour or two anyways to find out this information.

4. Demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills.
Every employer is looking for a student/intern that can communicate clearly, efficiently, and concisely. None of that stuff you did in English class, i.e. writing 500 words on what the color of the door represents in the scene (I bet the author never even meant that symbolization to be there! haha). If you can write and talk clearly and effectively you will not only land the internship but be able to keep it and keep the people around you happy! Always, always spell check. And since your letter and resume is what you start off with, have a fresh pair of eyes read through and check it for you.



5. Say yes
Every little job, as tedious as it can be, say yes to the job. From photocopying, to writing and organizing emails, doing a coffee run, or nine, whatever it may be, do it. Be careful, overrating the job to be easy may cause ignorance and carelessness to pour in, and you could get the simplest job wrong, do it right - but don't take forever - and it will highlight your eagerness and please your boss, encouraging them to give you tasks with more responsibility! Everyone starts at the bottom. 

Even worst case scenario, if you end up interning at an office that has nothing to do with the career path you're going for, not only will you get exposure, but most of all, you will gain general business etiquette and how-to's. Skills such as how to behave in a meeting, knowing your place as an intern, how to run a photocopy machine, how to problem solve with no resources directly available to you, how to dress, deal with people, etc, etc. can all be advantageous skills and knowledge that will always be helpful to you! 

So don't worry, everyone starts at the bottom, and one more meaningful thing to put on your resume to show experience!

"Just remember: if you work hard, good things happen. Oh, and don’t steal office supplies. Talk about bad job karma."
Photos: 1, 2, 3
Tect: Adapted and Sourced from here
(first and last quoted texts, including subtitles directly from this site)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Quick Tip: Spring/Summer 2012 Nail Colors


Gold Lamé by CHANEL


Action by Essie


Fashion by Deborah Lippmann Collection


Absolutely Shore by Essie


Bikini So Teeny by Essie


Mango Bango by Essie


Hearts & Tarts by O.P.I.


Light As Air by China Glaze


Cheeky Chops by butter London
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