One of my bosses emailed me the other day asking if I would come up with a BBQ sauce for a BBQ competition with which he had signed up our company for. He knew I was the best barbecuer in our office and his proposition was somewhat intriguing. I’ve always used someone else’s BBQ sauce, but never considered coming up with one of my own, but I’ve been interested in trying to make one, just never was motivated to do so before, so, here goes!

One of the first things I noticed about what I like in a BBQ sauce is that it’s not too sweet, and I like it to be refreshing. In order to make this work and not making the sauce too watery, I thought I’d try a reduction of a soda pop that had a sarsaparilla taste. I bought a few cans of Dr. Pepper and basically turned it into a more concentrated form, but first I tried it without the reduction technique, but that sauce didn’t turn out well, so the reduction form was the best. I thought about using bourbon too, but in the end decided against it.

So, after much trial and error, and thanks to my husband installing a barbecue islands. I managed to come up with a very unusual and refreshing BBQ sauce. Okay, so here’s the recipe:

1 can of Dr. Pepper (reduced)

1 can of tomato paste

1 Tbsp of mustard

1 Tbsp of worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp of your favorite BBQ rub

2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar

¼ cup of brown sugar

¼ tsp of liquid smoke

I found that this BBQ sauce it best on chicken. So, when it came time for our company to participate in that BBQ competition I had perfected my BBQ sauce and managed to come up with the best way to use it while Barbecuing chicken. I was really nervous and excited! I mean, who ever heard of using a soda pop reduction in a barbecue sauce? When judgment time came, our company place 3rd! We were demolished by a BBQ sauce made with Coca-Cola!

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The anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA, Foreign Corruption Practices Act, makes it unlawful for a U.S. Citizen and certain foreign issuers of securities, to make an illegal payment to a foreign official for the purpose of obtaining and/or retaining a business for or with, or directing business to any person. The Act also applies to any foreign firm and the people who take any act in furtherance of such a corrupt payment while staying in the U.S.

The FCPA also requires all companies whose securities are listed in the U.S. To meet the accounting provisions that are listed in 15 U.S.C. At 78m. These accounting provisions are designed to operate alongside the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and require companies covered by the provisions to create and keep books and record accurately and that fairly reflects the transactions of the company, plus devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls.

The FCPA’s Anti-bribery provisions basic prohibition makes it illegal to bribe foreign government officials in order to obtain and/or retain business. There are five elements, with respect to the basic prohibition, which must be met to constitute a violation of the Act: 1). Any individual, officer, director, firm, employee or agent of a company and any stockholder acting on behalf of said company will be penalized if they authorize, assist or order someone else to violate the anti-bribery provisions. 2). The person authorizing or making the payment must have a corrupt intent and the payment must be intended to induce the recipient to misuse his or hers official position. 3). Paying, promising, offering to pay money or anything else of value. 4). The recipient extends only to corrupt payments to a foreign official, a foreign political party or party official, or any candidate for foreign political office. 5). payment made in order to assist the firm in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any person.

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Hong Kong is an amazingly exciting place.  It’s one of the most truly cosmopolitan places in the world, and seems to always be one step ahead of everybody else in terms of fashion, cuisine, literature, and the arts.  It’s a fantastic place to go to hide away from the daily grind and come face to face with a better perspective on the world.  There is a spectacular sense of taste here, always looking for and expecting the very best.  Hong Kong hotels fill these expectations with a superb grace that speaks to the magic of the place.  We’ve chosen the best of these, so that you will be assured that your time here is spent staying in accommodations that are excellent in luxury, comfort, and style.

After a gorgeous night’s sleep in the cozy and sophisticated rooms, and perhaps a tasty meal, you’ll be rejuvenated and ready to enjoy all that Hong Kong has to offer you.  There are many adventures to choose from here, with cultural scenes that are always evolving, and always booming.  One of the most interesting things that can happen in these larger metropolitan areas is the collaboration that can happen between artists here and the rest of the world.  It’s a splendid thing, then, to see such a collaboration happening through digital media technologies in the information age.  It might be no surprise that there are savvy artists in Hong Kong who have interests in exploring these technologies, but the results can be surprising.  Such as the excellent work being created between Hong Kong’s Zen Lu, and Poland’s Grzegorz Bojanek .

The project is called ChoP, and the aesthetics are fascinating.  Both artists work in experimental and digital sounds, and they’ve already released a couple of albums based on their thoughts on making new collaborations, and the recent release is a splendid recording called 8 Rooms.  The idea here is to send sound files back and forth across the internet, and to modify them in unique ways, then to put the sounds back together.  It’s a fascinating project, and the results are equally compelling.  Part of the process involves investigating the cultural differences in making and perceiving electronic music, and playing in and out of these realms of difference to make a kind of music that is also a subtle but sharp statement on how cultures can connect in new and unimagined ways.

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The personal spa and home hot tub industry has increased tremendously in recent decades. Having a hot tub in the backyard is becoming extremely common and is experiencing a similar boost to that of pools in previous years. What used to be considered an extreme luxury is becoming commonplace. However, just as is the case with pools, there is also a great degree of variety of options and a large spectrum of elaborate scale to consider. And while it is possible for many families to purchase some model and style of hot tub, there are certainly designs that features that are absolute luxury and dream options.  Choosehottubsdirect.com is an excellent resource for determining an individuals needs and priorities in consideration of budget and space requirements.

Many hot tub models come complete with excellent stereo systems, lighting systems and often times visual entertainment packages are included. These are definitely some of the common features many people choose to add to their home spa, if they are not already included. Television and dvds have become extremely popular and many people feel they complete the hot tub experience. It certainly is a fabulous backyard event to invite a few friends over to sit in the hot tub and enjoy a block buster film at the same time. Other people have a strong preference to listen to music while relaxing in the tub and the internal lighting systems available are the perfect compliment to this. The stereos also serve multiple purposes depending on the situation’s needs. They can provide the perfect atmosphere for backyard barbecues while also offering quiet meditative sounds for quiet evenings, when one simply wants to escape from the pressures of the day. Whatever the needs and wishes one has in association with their hot tub, there is a model and additional features available to suit everyone’s tastes.

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In 1833 some 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe led by the Maktoum family settled at the mouth of a creek that flowed into a natural harbor. The area of Daubi soon became a a center for fishing, pearl diving and sea trade. By the beginning of the 20th century Dubai was a successful port. The market on the Deira side of the creek was the largest on the coast with some 350 shops and a steady stream of visitors and businessmen. By the 1930′s the population of Dubai was around twenty thousand nearly a quarter of whom were expatriates.

In the 1950′s the creek began to silt up undoubtedly due to the number of ships using the area. Latter the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Al Maktoum decided to have a new water way dredged where the creek was silting. A huge project and very costly, but that vision has led to the prosperity of Dubai today. This increased the volume of shipping and cargo that could be handled in the port. Thus Dubai is now a leading export hub in the region.

In 1966 oil was discovered and Sheikh Rashid used the oil revenues for infrastructure and development/ Schools, hospitals, roads, modern telecommunications network were all developed. The airport was expanded and new terminal added to the air port as well.

Dubai continues to be a leader in exports, expansion and innovations. Five star hotel Dubai dot the landscape welcoming visitors from all over the world. Many people travel in and out of Dubai on business and pleasure annually. The interesting architectural styles and progressiveness of the city are evident every where, Dubai ha used its oil revenues to position its self on the world stage and has implemented plans to remain there even if the oil gives out. Dubai is a city of vision with many visionary leaders in the past that have shaped it into what it is today.

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We decided to spend a few days in the the Kerala region of India essentially to check out the food, because, well, that is what we are in to, and it was tremendous. We noticed a lot of turmeric powder her, which is good because turmeric has healthful properties. There is lots fo rice here, and rice can mean vegetarian and non vegetarian  foods,both of which have a long tradition in Kerala. Meanwhile, you have to like coconut too, as these are grown and used in abundance, just ask at any of the India five star hotels you find in the area.. Many of the spices of the region include the aforementioned turmeric, cumin, cloves, a little cinnamon, coriander (one of my favorites).  Breakfast is usually hard to figure out, so accustomed to the idea of a sweet roll or pastry and coffee. I always like to acquaint myself with the local cuisine’s breakfast offerings and as pleased to report an interesting puttu made of coconut and powered rice. We got a little lesson from Mrs. Vasnhi who told us not to to over water the rice powder, and that if we rolled the puttu into a roll like enchilada like item it was called, happily, a manipputtu. I think I will name my next dog manipputtu. Anyway, the water was added and it resembled a kind of dough, only coarse, and can be made with flour of wheat, corn and other items. She then showed us how to steam a puttu in a basket with two halves that steam the little crepe like thing. Skipping right  to breakfast, we encounter payasam, a sweet exotic (to our tastes) of nuts like cashews, coconut (lots of coconut here), dried fruit, milk. It sounds as good as it tastes. We tried too the fried bread mad of bananas, called unniappam, which I tried with kohlfi, the frozen ‘ice cream’ of India.

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Gabe Kaplan is one of the household names in the United States. He is well known and kindly remembered and respected for his role as the unconventional instructor in the 1970s television series Welcome Back Kotter, and throughout the decades has remained associated to this iconic character. He was born in New York city, and as is true for many New Yorkers, there is a certain quality of character, and of course regional dialect, that never quite leaves the person. That is to say, you can take the person out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the person. And after all, who would want to take New York out of anyone? That’s certainly a question most guests in one of the great NY hotels wouldn’t hesitate to answer.

Interestingly, Kaplan initially sought to establish a career as a major league baseball player, however that didn’t pan out and he decided to pursue an alternative interest he had developed, which was to be a stand up comedian. He became successful in comedy, and appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson five different times. In recent years he has become a standard player at many poker tables and tournaments. He actually became interested in the game while he was at the height of his acting career and entered his first World Series of Poker in 1978. He is also a regular guest on the Poker After Dark series, which features some of the best known names in the game, including Chris Ferguson, Doyle Bronson, Andy Bloch and many more. In February of 2008 he beat all of the previously mentioned players and more during Cowboy Week of the series. Not only is Kaplan well respected by other players, he is also well liked and has been reported as being fun to play with and typically establishes a positive atmosphere at his table.

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Taking a vacation to an island in Spain is full of mythical and mysterious connotations, and the idea can cause some splendid daydreams of the sun and sea all day, and exciting conversations with new friends at a club all night.  Ibiza is one of the great hotspots for travelers, with a reputation for excellent parties and great dance music.  When planning for lodging that puts you in the center of luxury, Ibiza hotels can certainly offer anything you’re hoping for.  We’ve carefully selected our hotels for their excellence in comfort and service, so that you have a place to rest your head after the exciting adventures you’ll have every day.  The rooms are unique, but all are gorgeously decorated to help you fall asleep and wake up in splendor.  Design and style are very important here, and are a central part of Spanish culture, because the details make a difference.

After a good rest and a fantastic meal served by world-class chefs, you’ll be ready to enter into the adventures that await you.  The music here is legendary, and the local clubs all have some of the hottest djs in the world, playing thumping dance music that will keep the crowds moving well past midnight, and sometimes even past dawn.  There are also musicians who are making splendid innovations in musical forms, and if you’re lucky, you might get a chance to see the Fameliars while you’re in town.

They’ve been playing here long enough to have established a strong reputation as a band who really knows what they’re doing, and have played at the famous Festival Alternatilla, which hosts some of the most exciting experiments in music in the area.  The Fameliars don’t always appeal to the large disco crowds, as their sound is too sophisticated for the party atmosphere.  It’s one of the most remarkable experiments in post-rock music in the 21st century, however, and a live performance by the band will show you an Ibiza that you will never forget.

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When we went to Cape Town last time we decided we would rent a car and see some of the country side and get out of Cape Town proper. We got assistance at the hotel for information on reasonable Cape Town car rentals for the time we would be there. After the very long series of flights we were ready for a little relaxation before going on any road trips. We got checked into our hotel room, ordered something to eat and slept. In the morning we had breakfast and stayed close to the hotel walking and relaxing, planning on picking up our rental car in the afternoon before the offices closed. We had a quiet dinner that evening and went to bed early so we would be ready for our adventure early.

When we woke in the morning the weather was perfect for a road trip. The sun was shining a gentle breeze was blowing and the day looked as if it would be perfect. We began by driving out to Sea Point and follow the coast line south to Bantry Bay. The rugged coast line and rocky out cropping offer spectacular views and stunning vistas. We stopped in several locations to wander the beaches and wade in the cold ocean waters. At Bantry Bay we found a nice little cafe offering locally caught sea foods and local wines we were hungry and the offerings there seemed irresistible. After a fantastic lunch and some shopping in the local we got back on the road and headed further south to Kommetjie. Kommetjie is located on a peninsulas jutting out from the main land into the Atlantic Ocean. In Kommetjie we found a lot very colorful art created by the artists that reside in near by communities. No surprise that the art was so colorful the emerald greens of the land, the deep blue skies and the blue oceans are a clear influence.

We started back to Cape Town when it was nearing sunset and found another charming restaurant to eat in before getting back to the hotel and rest. Tomorrow we head in land toward the wine country.

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They say Malaga is best at night, but I wanted to see a bullfight and they do those during the day. Carrie said no way on the bullfight though so maybe some other time. Once you have read Hemingway don’t you just want to see a bullfight at least once? Ask at any of the hotels Malaga Spain has about the best time of year to see a fight and they will tell you August for Feria de Malaga, a festival in the summer months. But August is hot and we live in a hot place (Tuscon anyone?) and so it was not August for us. We live so close to Mexico, and it never occurs to me to go to Mexico to see a bullfight, but somehow being in Malaga and drinking sangria and eating tapas put me in the mood. Carrie would have none of it (oh well) and there was much Picasso to see here, lots of Picasso, one wonders if Picasso ever went to a bullfight, I bet he did, he had to have. I will have to look into that. Picasso is among my favorite painters, and he did sculpture as well. Picasso and Hemingway. We could check out the Alcabaza as well. This city is quite busy so we took buses to get around rather than rent or hire a car right off. We like buses, seeing the city without the driving, they are usually clean andcomfortable wherever we go, even in New York City. Apparently there are many one way streets. We had taken a luxury train from Madrid, it was like a four hour train ride, and we sat in Spanish luxury looking at the Spanish country side as it zipped by.

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