Nobody knows why, but food always tastes better outdoors. Whether you’re going to mountains, meadow or just the back yard cook some food and enjoy the moment. It is not difficult to organize any celebration outdoors, but everyone remember it. In Internet you can find tons of holiday recipes and a lot of them are suitable for a picnic “take-out” meal. I can recommend this tasty ratatouille.

Ratatouille with Almonds, Olives and Feta Cheese

Directions

Put one chopped onion, one or two chopped garlic cloves, basil leaves (about 1/3 bunch), olive oil (3 tablespoons) and red chili flakes (1/2 teaspoon) into the skillet over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add chopped eggplants and cook 10 more minutes, if necessary, add olive oil. Add drained capers, chopped fresh tomatoes and zucchini. Flavour with salt and paper. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft. Add canned tomatoes, some more basil leaves, vinegar and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.

Gently toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let them burn. Add olive oil (3 tablespoons), chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon, one chopped garlic clove, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes. Cool and crush nuts, add crumbled feta cheese, olives, remaining basil leaves and mix properly.

Put the ratatouille into a bowl and serve with mixed almonds, olives and feta.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 5 medium Japanese eggplants
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 can of peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup of almonds
• 1 cup of pitted green olives
• 1 pound of feta cheese
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt
• black pepper

Share This

Everybody knows that weather forecasts are not always right. The smaller is the town or the more varied is country’s topography the less accurate is weather’s prediction. Weather can vary enormously, that is why if you plan a trip it can be a good idea to use local weather forecast service.

Sometimes it is not so easy to find an English website with true local weather forecasts.

But, if your travel destination is Spain, I can recommend this Spanish Weather website. Doesn’t matter what Spanish city or resort you are going to visit, Spanishweather.net will help you with exact weather prediction. They cover up to 14 days forecasts and any place in Spain from Barcelona and Madrid to Ibiza and Tenerife.

Share This

Looking for wheels for your next trip abroad? There are a lot of things to consider and I mean not only “driving on the other side of the road”. From international driving permits and liability insurance to a plenty of hidden fees, renting a car in a foreign country can be a little bit complicated.

A lot of additional costs are not being explained at the time of rental. The following information may help you save money and avoid disputes when the time comes to pay your bill. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

At least one problem can be easily avoided when you go camping or travel by your own car. The problem of the lost key. Of course, when you bought the car, you had two keys, but who knows where the second one is now? Nevertheless I would recommend having this second key tied to something deep inside your backpack. You know, car keys love freedom, especially when you have a nice camping weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

When you spend a lot of time on slopes (doesn’t matter if you are a ski beginner or a snowboard master) don’t fail to protect your eyes from damaging golden sun rays. The light is reflected from the snow and the result is up to twice the normal amount of UV rays. Moreover, the harmful effects of solar UV radiation at 2000 meters can be 30% higher than at sea level. Protective eyewear is the first way to prevent sun damage to the eyes.

Ski Sunglasses and Ski Goggles

The eyewear is a very important safety element to your winter sports activity. The right pair of sports sunglasses or goggles should suit your type of activity and the anticipated weather conditions.

The first point to consider is the lens color. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

First of all you need to find pike locations. Pike feed on minnows, walleye and frogs, so you’ll find pike in places which support such wildlife. Pike are a fish that can be caught in great numbers in all seasons.

In summertime pike will be in shallow water, usually bedded down in weeds, because of bright sunlight and shade which bring hunting benefit for pike-predators. In deep weeds try any hooks that look like minnows.

From one side pike is a very aggressive fish, from another side it is enough lazy to forage for a meal if it can take a free one. You can catch a pike by using small fish. But big pike would rather not waste too much time and energy chasing bugs or minnows. So, use a bigger fish to draw a greater pike.

In the fall time the pike will be feeding like crazy because they are getting ready for the up coming winter. You should be focusing on trolling. And if you find the bait fish you can be assured that you have found the pike.

Don’t be in a hurry, before a pike take your lure, it will play with it and bite several times. Leave your lure in the water even if you had the pike and lost it, it is possible that the pike will return. And you will see the float take off through the water if the pike hits your bait.

Anytime at the end of the day is a good time for fishing. Trial and error is the best way to find the fish and find out how they are reacting and to what. And the whole aim is to have fun; of course you will have more fun if you catch the pike. Good luck!

Share This

Canada is a well known place for its dry powder snow and sunny days. From one side great snowdrifts are fun for children and virgin lands are happiness for snowboarders, but from another side meter snow is a headache for people responsible for clean roads and safe paths.

Snow is always coming unexpectedly and you should be prepared. In Canada with its frequent snow and ice ATV snowblowers save time and labor. This equipment is efficient, clearing driveways and large walkways in minutes; it makes cities and towns look like in fairy tales. Snowblower is probably one of the most used items during snowy winter.

How to Buy a Snowblower

1. First of all you have to decide how big unit you need. This depends on number of property acres you have and what are you going to clear: everything or just a few paths.
2. Try to remember how much snow meters you have every winter. If you see snow outside 9 months a year, you probably need a double-stage snowblower.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Everybody knows that forest fires are dangerous, but not a lot of people know how it is difficult to survive if you are trapped. A forest fire can wreak an incredible amount of devastation in a few hours.

Every year forest fires burn thousands of acres, wildfires can easily jump streams and roads, and it can travel faster than you can run. Don’t make the most common mistake when you are trying to escape a wildland fire, don’t try to outrun it.

Knowledge Of The Terrain

A good knowledge of the terrain you are in gives you the best opportunity of surviving a forest fire.

One of the first things to learn is that a forest fire travels uphill much more quickly than it travels downhill. Therefore, you might be able to keep in advance of the fire by moving downhill as quickly as you can. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

• There is a famous echo in the British Museum Reading Room, don’t forget to try it.
• If you pay a small fee to the guard, parking is permitted even in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
• Underground tradition: on first entering a train you better shake hands with every passenger.
• If you see a woman upstairs on bus, ask her politely to descend, this is not allowed.
• If you take a taxi, the driver will be only too willing to give your shoes a polish while waiting at the traffic-lights.
• Public conveniences are few; unfrequented streets where relief is permitted are marked “P”.
• Good-natured haggling is customary, so never pay the price demanded for a newspaper.

Share This

WestMarine.com is not only a great online store, which carry more than 50,000 products from the rope to the latest in marine electronics, but also a unique source for advices and helpful articles.

You will find their West Advisor based on experience gained from thousands of miles of boating on a wide variety of craft, building and maintaining power and sail vessels, to be helpful, frequently opinionated and always entetaining.

The West Marine Interactive West Advisor is a great way to learn and have fun too. Each topic has a running digital video that is capable of rewinding, stopping and pausing; all at the click of your mouse.

And their Tips & Tricks are brief, handy little articles designed to help you get the most from selected products throughout West Marine catalog.

Share This