NETPod: ‘Tomorrow’ + ‘Kolo For You’ – Retta

Retta, the Port-Harcourt based singer has over the last year made quite some noise with just one single, the mid-tempo ‘Kolo for you‘. The 21-year-old’s sound is far from the norm but still has a lasting effect after listening.
I had the opportunity to watch her perform live at the finals of the recently concluded Nigerian Idol and was quite surprised to see her give a below-par performance. Her vocal strength couldn’t match up with the live band play, something a lot of Nigerian singers are struggling with.
But the soft rock singer has dashed any form of under-performance with her latest single ‘Tomorrow‘. Very reminiscent of the Cranbrerries Stars, Retta’s voice is subtle yet captivating. Retta’s style is relatively unique for a Nigerian market where every Tom, Dick and Harry tend towards more upbeat sounds, but she will do well. Thumbs up!

How to Save Money at a Pricey Restaurant

Who doesn't love to go out to a nice dinner? We all know that it can be expensive-but I want to give you some tips on how to make your money go further-and still allow you to have a nice meal out।
Instructions

• Have one drink at home before you leave. Alcohol is how restaurants make money.

• 2

  Drink tap water at the restaurant. In many cities it contains more minerals than bottled. Plus, many restaurants fill their own fancy bottles with purified tap water and charge you more! Several brands of water are simply purified and not mineral-based. Also, most resturants have purifers. Don't feel embarrassed to order tap water-and add lemon for freshness and health.

• 3

  Don't get fancy with ordering drinks; order house wine instead. They charge a premium for specialty drinks. Also, avoid after-dinner drinks; they're pricey!

• 4

  Have just one piece of bread and tell the server to take it away. You don't need to fill up on the bread basket. If you like, order soup to help you fill up.

• 5

  Order an appetizer as a starter, another as a main dish and another as a side dish. Have your friend or partner do the same and you'll be able to sample half the menu! Then you won't have to order a main dish, plus appetizers are usually smaller and will help with portion control.

• 6

  Share a dessert. A little sweetness goes a long way, so not only will you save on the bill, but you'll save calories as well.

• 7

  Skip the coffee and go out in search of a nice coffee house. It will be another interesting destination-and half the price!

How to use Avocado

Avocados contain vitamins A, D and E.
Avocados contain vitamins A, D and E.

Oil-rich avocados contain high doses of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D and E. This makes them good for your skin and your body. Whether you're looking to use avocado in skin care recipes or incorporate more produce into your diet, you'll find a wide range of uses for this fruit. Avocados grow in tropical climates and are available year-round in most supermarkets. Try out several new culinary or beauty recipes to incorporate more avocado into your life.

Things You'll Need:

* Avocado
* Cutting board
* Knife
* Spoon
* Olive oil
* Salt
* Pepper
* Red onion
* Chile pepper
* Lime juice
* Cilantro
* Carrot
* Pot
* Blender
* Heavy cream
* Egg
* Honey
* Bowl
* Almond oil
* Vegetable oil

Instructions

Culinary Uses

1 Slice an avocado in half and remove the pit with your fingers. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Cut the halves into small squares with a knife. Add the cut avocado to your favorite salad or dress the avocado alone with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper for a simple side salad.

2 Cut up several avocados in the above fashion, then mash the avocado flesh into a creamy puree using a wooden spoon. Add garlic, red onion, chili pepper, lime juice and cilantro to make guacamole. Guacamole recipes are available online.

3 Cut an avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Slice the flesh thinly crosswise. Add the sliced avocado to your favorite sandwich, whether it's a grilled cheese, turkey sandwich or hummus wrap.

Beauty Uses

1. Boil one carrot in water until it's soft. Then remove the carrot from water. Cut and de-seed an avocado as above and scoop the flesh into a blender, using a spoon. Add the cooked carrot, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 3tablespoons of honey to the blender. Blend into a puree. Then apply this mixture to your face for a mask that helps improve skin tone and texture. Rinse off the avocado mask after 10 to 15 minutes.
   

2. Scoop the flesh from one half of an avocado into a bowl. Add five to seven drops of almond oil, then mash together with a spoon. Dab the avocado-almond mix underneath your eyes for a soothing eye cream. Rinse away after five minutes.

3. Scoop out the flesh from 1/2 an avocado. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Mash the two together with a spoon. Spread this mask on your face to soothe dry skin. Leave the mask on for 10 to 15 minutes then rinse it off.

Doing Things Like A BOSS!

If you really want to stand out and get ahead at work, you should look around and model yourself after someone that has already made it: the owner.

Does that mean you should start bossing people around and picking on the most insignificant details to torment your coworkers with? Nope, wrong again.

Think Like the Owner

There's a difference. As an employee, you have to worry about your little sliver of job and how it might fit into the bigger slice of pie that is the company.

If you think that's stressful, think about what the owner has to think about:

• Every single employee
• The future of the company
• The revenue
• The competitors
• How to lower costs
• How to increase profits

The list could go on and on.

My point is this: you don't have to worry about these things because you're not the owner, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Start thinking like the owner and you'll see how quickly your perspective changes.

Owners don't check out at 5 o'clock because "the day is over."

Owners don't take a day off because they want to go to the beach.

Owners don't get caught up in the minutiae of everyday office politics.

Is it because they're better than the rank and file? Nope.

They just have bigger fish to fry.

Take More Responsibility

By acting like an owner, you should take on more of that responsibility. Trust me, the owner will appreciate an employee that is not only doing his/her job effectively, but is also worrying about the bigger picture. It will make you look better and it will also change your perspective on your job.

Take the example of Amazon employees that took the light bulbs out of their vending machines—they saved the company $20,000 in electricity costs. Guess who noticed? CEO Jeff Bezos.

So where should you start? The good thing is that owners have so much to worry about that you could pick any one of these "problems" and figure out a way to improve on them:

• Costs
• Employee morale
• Competitors
• Office politics
• Technology solutions
• Efficiency (my personal favorite)

The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

Start thinking like an owner today—it will make you a more valuable employee and it will give you some idea of what it's like in case you want to start your own business some day.

Doing Things Like A BOSS!

If you really want to stand out and get ahead at work, you should look around and model yourself after someone that has already made it: the owner.

Does that mean you should start bossing people around and picking on the most insignificant details to torment your coworkers with? Nope, wrong again.

Think Like the Owner

There's a difference. As an employee, you have to worry about your little sliver of job and how it might fit into the bigger slice of pie that is the company.

If you think that's stressful, think about what the owner has to think about:

• Every single employee
• The future of the company
• The revenue
• The competitors
• How to lower costs
• How to increase profits

The list could go on and on.

My point is this: you don't have to worry about these things because you're not the owner, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Start thinking like the owner and you'll see how quickly your perspective changes.

Owners don't check out at 5 o'clock because "the day is over."

Owners don't take a day off because they want to go to the beach.

Owners don't get caught up in the minutiae of everyday office politics.

Is it because they're better than the rank and file? Nope.

They just have bigger fish to fry.

Take More Responsibility

By acting like an owner, you should take on more of that responsibility. Trust me, the owner will appreciate an employee that is not only doing his/her job effectively, but is also worrying about the bigger picture. It will make you look better and it will also change your perspective on your job.

Take the example of Amazon employees that took the light bulbs out of their vending machines—they saved the company $20,000 in electricity costs. Guess who noticed? CEO Jeff Bezos.

So where should you start? The good thing is that owners have so much to worry about that you could pick any one of these "problems" and figure out a way to improve on them:

• Costs
• Employee morale
• Competitors
• Office politics
• Technology solutions
• Efficiency (my personal favorite)

The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

Start thinking like an owner today—it will make you a more valuable employee and it will give you some idea of what it's like in case you want to start your own business some day.

Lemmon Bundt Cake!!!!!!!

Much as i love this cake, it was not quite the same as the one at Mock Turtle. This cake was a little more dense. Alas i think its not just the cake i miss, the atmosphere of the cosy tea room and cool sea breeze is missed too. Nevermind, its a good reason to go back and visit.

You can find the recipe here or below:


Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with milk, starting and ending with the flour. Stir in lemon zest. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Place rack on waxed paper. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over the warm cake. Cool completely before serving.

Delicious!

Click Here For More Recipe

As warm summer days give way to cool autumn air, it is time to start thinking about feathering our nests and preparing for long days and nights indoors. While summer style is all about light and airy rooms, Autumn style calls for rich colors, cozy fabrics and turning to the harvest for decorating inspiration,

Instructions

1. Group living furniture into cozy seating arrangements. Keep coffee tables and end tables at the ready, to hold a good book and cup of mulled cider. Cover hardwood floors with warm area rugs, to take the chill of bare feet.

2. Keep window treatments light, to allow plenty of sunlight in the daytime. To add some warm autumn color, top with a valance of brocade or chintz in a rich gold, amber or crimson tone.

3. Cover tables with autumn inspired tablecloths. Patterns of falling leaves, gourds, gingham, all add warmth to the kitchen or dining room.

4. Swap out bouquets of summer flowers for centerpieces of pumpkins and other gourds. Fill a large bowl with gourds or fruits for a simple autumn accent.

5. Use candle light in the evening, to mimic the flicker flames of an old fashion fireplace. Just be sure to keep candles out the reach of children and pets and away from flammable object.

6. Decorate with books. Stack your favorite books on end tables or coffee tables to keep them in easy reach during the cold months ahead. 7

7. Cover an old chair or sofa with a slipcover in a brilliant autumn hue and add some matching throw pillows, for an easy autumn inspired makeover.