Top 5 Foods To Eat With Your Lover On Valentine’s Day

Here are 5 foods that will surely bring you closer on Valentine’s Day.?

1. Oysters

There’s no truth to claims that these bivalves are aphrodisiacs, but oysters are loaded with zinc, which your body needs to make proteins and DNA, and it can help you fight off bacteria. Though the science is not so sexy, oysters are romantic “because what makes food romantic is its visceral nature, and oysters are extremely visceral,” says Sims McCormick, cofounder of Real Oyster Cult, which sources and curates oysters from sustainable farms and ships them overnight. “The fresh smell of the sea when you shuck the oyster, the merroir [the liquid that spills from it], the feel of plump, sweet meat in your mouth — it’s sensual.”?

2. Caviar

Another food that claims to stimulate desire, caviar or fish eggs are said to have been a favorite of Casanova. Roe is rich in vitamins and minerals such as omega 3 (good for healthy circulatory and immune systems) and vitamin B12 (keeps nerve and blood cells healthy). Because caviar is so pricey, it’s in that category of decadent things that people want to splurge on to show a lover they are worth it. “It’s effervescent and crunchy, and that makes it sexy,” McCormick says, adding that it’s nice to place those sexy eggs atop an oyster.

3. Chocolate 

The dark, silky candy has always had the cultural cachet of being a special, romantic treat. Chocolate contains the chemical phenylethylamine, a stimulant that appears to have positive effects on mood and triggers the release of pleasurable endorphins. But chocolate’s voluptuous, creamy mouth feel is what keeps Valentine’s Day gifters coming back for more. Again, scarcity will increase desire, so spring for something artisanal and high-end in the chocolate world — whether it’s milk, dark or white chocolate — that’s unique with complex flavors you can talk about.

4. Lobster

Lobster is often a bit messy, which can translate to romance. “There is something sensual about eating with your fingers,” Daguin says. She suggests boiling the lobster with lots of hot spices and salt and pepper, so you don’t have to reseason, and keeping it in the shell. Then dip it in truffle butter and share. The decadence of a morsel of lobster meat with hot butter dripping from it is hard to rival

5. Wagyu Beef or Venison

Cooking something with a special ingredient always makes it more meaningful, Daguin says. Wagyu beef, with its highly marbled meat, is exceedingly tender and melts in your mouth with a rich and almost buttery taste, while a pink cut of venison evokes the outdoors. Paired with a red wine sauce, venison is a bit more inventive than traditional steak.?

Six Valentine’s Day Traditions From Around The World – Part 2

Ghana – National Chocolate Day

Talking about Valentine’s traditions around the world, in Ghana, Feb 14 is celebrated as the “National Chocolate Day.” It is a step that the Ghana government took in 2007 to increase tourism in the country. Ghana is among the largest cocoa-producing countries in the world. On Feb 14, one can attend performances, music events, and restaurants that have themed menus for the special day.

Best Places For A Romantic Dinner: Bread & Wine, Kaya Energy Bar & Design
Places To Visit: Cape Coast, Accra, Kakum National Park
How To Reach: Direct & indirect flights to and from Ghana fly on a regular basis. Thus one can reach here via flight easily.

Bulgaria – Day Of Winemakers

Like any other country, Bulgaria celebrates Valentine’s Day in its own style. On 14 February, San Trifon Zartan is celebrated in Bulgaria, which means “day of winemakers”. Young and old couples celebrate their love with a glass of wonderful local wine.

Best Places For A Romantic Dinner: Restaurant Bolero, Mario Cafe
Places To Visit: Sofia, Varna, Nessebar
How To Reach: Reach here by flights, the airport is connected to all other international airports of the world.

Wales – Day Of San Dwynwen

In Wales, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the most unique way. The country celebrates its day of love on Jan 25, which is called the “day of San Dwynwen.” On the day, lovers exchange unique and beautifully handcrafted wooden spoons to each other. This tradition has been practised since the 16th century.

Best Places For A Romantic Dinner: Cafe Citta, Slebech Park
Places To Visit: North Wales, Cardiff, Anglesey
How To Reach: One can reach the place via flight, train & by road.

South West China – Sisters’ Meal Festival

In Miao, southwest China, the “Sisters’ Meal” festival is celebrated on 15th March. During the festival, women wear silver accessories and beautiful dresses, which are probably the most gorgeous Valentine’s Day customs around the world. They cook various dishes of coloured rice that’s offered on silk fabric to young men walking on roads. The destiny of the lovelies inside the object found in the chosen rice. Two chopsticks mean love and a clove of garlic means the love is over before it has even begun.

Best Places For A Romantic Dinner: South West China, Indian Pagoda Chinese Restaurant
Places To Visit: Chengdu, Emei Shan, Leijiang
How To Reach: One can reach here easily without any problems, as the airport flies international flights.

Estonia – A Festival For Everyone

On 14 Feb, Estonia celebrates Friendship Day known as Sobrapaev. This amazing festival includes everyone, from couples to singles. So not just couples, but family members and friends also exchange gifts and celebrate love.

Best Places For A Romantic Dinner: Ribe, Leib Restoran
Places To Visit: Tartu, Parnu, Tallinn
How To Reach: It is pretty convenient to reach here via flights as the airport is connected to majorly all other international airports of the world.

The Four Valentine’s Day Episodes Of The Big Them Theory

During the course of its run, The Big Bang Theory featured four Valentine’s Day episodes. If you wish to watch all the episodes simply follow this list:

  • The Large Hadron Collision – The Big Bang Theory: Season Three, Episode Fifteen (2010)
  • The Tangible Affection Proof – The Big Bang Theory: Season Six, Episode Sixteen (2013)
  • The Locomotive Manipulation – The Big Bang Theory: Season Seven, Episode Fifteen (2014)
  • The Valentino Submergence – The Big Bang Theory: Season Nine, Episode Fifteen (2016)

The Large Hadron Collision – Leonard is going to Switzerland to observe the Large Hadron Collider and is planning to take Penny for a romantic Valentine’s Day experience, but Sheldon has other ideas about who should be going with him. Penny gets the flu and ends up giving the flu to Sheldon and they take care of each other, while Leonard takes Raj to Switzerland – and the latter enjoys all the chocolate!

The Tangible Affection Proof – Leonard, Penny, Howard, and Bernadette go to dinner for Valentine’s Day while Sheldon and Amy search for the perfect gift for each other. Stuart and Raj plan a party for individuals who are not in a relationship at the Comic book store.

The Locomotive Manipulation – For Valentine’s Day, Amy plans a romantic weekend trip to Napa Valley on board a vintage train accompanied by Howard and Bernadette. Leonard and Penny opt to stay home, but have an accident while watching Cinnamon for Raj.

The Valentino Submergence. Amy and Sheldon host a Valentine’s Day edition of Fun With Flags; Penny and Leonard wrestle with getting older; Howard and Bernadette make a discovery in their hot tub; Raj is torn between Emily and another woman. Content collapsed.

Sights To See, An Alien Circus & Acrobats

Getting back to the journeys of my family, set in the fantastic futuristic science fiction universe that I have created in my mind, read this post and the remaining before you proceed. Ok, all caught up? Now read on!

A few days gap, just to let my cousins and uncles, aunts catch up with some work and the kids to catch up with some classes online, and we were ready for some entertainment away from the spaceship. Now, everyone loves the spaceship and the suites and other areas are always lively during the day and evenings until the end of dinner but we also wanted to get to see more that the galaxy has to offer. One of my cousins had heard about this planet on which there were some alien races who had setup a type of circus and Cirque du Soleil of earth style entertainment. My cousin’s friend had gone there 3 years ago with a few of her family and friends after she got married and they enjoyed all the programs that the company there has for entertainment.

Now, even though humans, among some other highly advanced alien races, have abolished currency since we don’t use it or need it and haven’t for generations, some alien races including all the ones that run the entertainment on this planet, do need currency and entry for the programs and based on how many you visit will require a payment. This can be easily arranged as we have the ability to replicate a limited amount of currency depending on the area and gold coins and precious gems which mean so little to us, other than they look nice, but we can use it to pay for cooked food & drink or other things in smaller quantities but is also monitored so humans don’t accidentally misuse it.

So we gather the needed currency in the form of rectangular gold coins, which is what humans use in some of these alien planets and we also kept from gems with us to gift to some of the best servers and performers that we liked. On this planet we have a lot of alien races who perform and even more come to visit and be enthralled by the various acts. There are several arenas that we can visit and if you want to see all of the acts, it’s atleast 2 days with gaps for food and drinks. So once you confirm your tickets, you can go to the main entrance and pay for the tickets and give tips to the servers and performers as you see fit. The day before several of my aunts checked out videos of the performances and were excited as were most of the kids.

The rest of us were somewhat excited and we all decided to go for both the days. It was best that we leave the dogs behind in their respective suites. Anyways, we reached orbit of the planet, Quantara, and booked our tickets for the next two days. Some of the kids were impatient and really wanting to see the acts that it was all that they could talk about. The next morning post breakfast, we all went down to the planet and paid for the tickets in the gold. As humans cannot go off the ship without the forcefield or suits, we had all the kids and the elders walk inside the forcefield, flanked by robots and mobile forcefield generators, while my cousins & I used the suits and walk around more freely.

So there were magic acts, acts with wild animals, trapeze stuff, acrobats and unique things. The performers were from different alien races as were some of the animals. We went from one act to the other and sampled some of the snacks that they serve and the drinks, as in each between each of the acts as they had concession stands and tables and seats setup in between the different sections. The 35 domestic robots and my main robot are along with us and as we are 65 humans with 8 dogs (who are traveling in one of the robots or the other) our seats are setup in a huge section so we can easily get in within the confines of our forcefield without disturbing or inconveniencing other alien patrons. Ofcourse they do stare as they know that we are a bunch of humans with invincible technology.

Anyways, we sit down and enjoy the various acts, stopping in between to get some snacks and drinks from the stands – atleast the ones that show up as being harmless for humans to consume. The kids like the clown style shows and the animals ones. There are vicious looking creatures that the tamers have trained to do a few tricks and everyone is wowed by them. There are sea creatures that do some tricks as well and we are blown away by their sheer beauty and size. We end our day by 7pm our time and we go back to the ship for rest, dinner and sleep. The next day it’s more of the same but we spend most of the time at the Cirque du Solelil style act, with beautiful music, exoticly dressed alien performers and complex acrobatic moves that is set to the music. It lasted for 4 hours and we could have stayed for many more.

Once the show was done, we gave away most of the tips to the acrobats and showered them with praise and applause. It was now time to get back to the ship. We said our goodbyes to the organizers and then headed back to our ship in orbit. I ordered the robots on the bridge to take us out into space and towards our next destination as I changed to pjs. Shawny seemed to have enjoyed everything as much as we did. So did the other dogs. I walked back with Shawny and Junior on my heels as I joined a couple of my cousins on the way to the dining section of the ship. As I get my first beer of the night and join a table of my cousins and reach for a snack, I get an alert that a couple of alien ships who also left orbit seem to be following us.

I quickly sit at a console in the dining area/bar where my cousins and I were along with the dogs. We were still close enough to the star system so we were at impulse speed only. I got a quick scan taken on the two alien ships that I didn’t recognize – these were not friendly looking or a species that is known to us. If I were in a military ship I would stay around and find out exactly what they were but I am in a personal ship with my extended family. The scans show me that their ships had only 1/3rd of the speed of our ship and so I laugh out loud, and once were were out of that star system, I gave the order to increase our speed to warp 8 and let the two alien ships eating our stardust! That done, we went on with our dinner and enjoyed a nice evening.

Chicken Lollipops : Popular Indian Starter/Snack

Chicken lollipop is a popular Indian fried chicken appetiser. Chicken lollipop is essentially a  frenched  chicken winglet, wherein the meat is cut loose from the bone end and pushed down, creating a lollipop appearance. It is usually served two ways, marinated chicken deep fried just like chicken 65. Second version includes tossing the fried chicken in a spicy sauce.

Chicken – Pre prepared chicken lollipop is available in the frozen section of super market. If you cannot find it, I recommend you to prepare it yourselves. There are variety of videos available to cut chicken in lollipop shape.

Sauces – I used soy sauce, ketchup and vinegar to flavour the chicken.

Ginger & Garlic – use lots of ginger and garlic which adds aroma to the chicken.

Chilli Garlic Paste – You can add more or less as per your spice level.

Seasonings – as far as the seasonings, I used salt, pepper and chilli powder.

Flour Coating – use a combination of plain flour and cornstarch to create the crispy exterior.

Egg – egg is used as binding of the chicken. It helps the coating stick the chicken when frying.

If I Had To Eat From A Single Fast Food Chain For 2 Weeks

If you had to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a single fast food chain for 2 weeks straight, which establishment would you pick?

The problem here is that unlike in some countries we don’t have a culture of eating breakfast from fast food places and hence the fast food chains don’t really cater to breakfast options. I have had the McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches (Sausage & Egg McMuffin & Sausage McMuffin) and do like them but they seem to have disappeared from the menus or is only offered in 1 franchise which is in the biggest mall in the city/state. I think Burger King has a couple of items that they serve as breakfast items and Subway does have their breakfast subs.

Infact I think I have had the breakfast sub from Subway. I don’t think KFC & Popeyes has anything for breakfast and neither does Wendys – the latter does but it’s not really a breakfast item! And then we have Cafe Coffee Day, Starbucks & Costa Coffee – pretty soon Tim Hortons which is already in India will expand over here and I can see what they offer – and these do have breakfast options. However, I still don’t think that lunch and dinner are their forte as these coffee shops offer mainly snacks and some sandwiches. Infact I have had sandwiches with my coffee at both Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day but to be honest, they don’t offer the things that you would want for a dinner.

After much thought, I’d probably pick McDonald’s as they have burgers and wraps and snacks and perhaps some variety that can help me last 2 whole weeks. They also have nuggets, McFlurrys which are awesome, coffee and milkshakes. I guess I could live off McDonald’s for 2 weeks with what they have.

Prompt from Journaling Prompts from The Coffee Monterz Co . Com

10 Steps To Help Stay Organised As A Blogger

Staying organized as a blogger is essential for consistency, productivity, and growth. Here are some key strategies to help you manage your blogging workflow effectively:

1. Set Clear Goals & Plan Content

  • Define your blogging goals (e.g., increase traffic, monetize, educate readers).
  • Create a content strategy based on your niche and audience interests.
  • Use a content calendar to plan topics, publishing dates, and promotions.

2. Use a Content Calendar

  • Tools like Trello, Notion, Asana, or Google Calendar can help you schedule posts.
  • Plan at least a month ahead with content themes.
  • Include deadlines for writing, editing, and publishing.

3. Create an Efficient Writing Workflow

  • Batch-create content (e.g., write multiple posts in one sitting).
  • Use outlines to structure your posts before writing.
  • Set dedicated time blocks for writing, editing, and research.

4. Organize Your Ideas & Research

  • Keep an idea bank (in Notion, Evernote, or Google Docs) to store post ideas.
  • Save research materials, references, and inspiration in one place.
  • Use tools like Pocket or Feedly to bookmark useful articles.

5. Automate & Schedule Posts

  • Use scheduling tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Later to auto-post on social media.
  • WordPress and other platforms allow you to schedule blog posts in advance.

6. Streamline Image & Design Work

  • Use Canva or Adobe Express to create blog graphics.
  • Keep a library of templates for consistency.
  • Organize images into labeled folders for easy access.

7. Track Performance & Adjust

  • Use Google Analytics to monitor traffic and engagement.
  • Set monthly reviews to analyze what’s working and refine your strategy.

8. Maintain a Task Management System

  • Use To-Do lists (Todoist, Notion, or Google Keep) for daily/weekly blogging tasks.
  • Break tasks into small, actionable steps (e.g., “Research post,” “Write draft,” “Edit post”).

9. Batch & Repurpose Content

  • Convert blog posts into different formats (e.g., social media posts, newsletters, videos).
  • Batch tasks like writing, image creation, and promotion separately for efficiency.

10. Declutter & Backup Regularly

  • Organize blog files into folders (Content, Images, Drafts, Published).
  • Use cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) for easy access and backup.
  • Regularly delete old drafts and outdated content.

Some Fascinating Facts About Valentine’s Day

1. St. Valentine wasn’t just one person.

Many people know that Valentine’s Day is named after St. Valentine. But did you know there are actually two St. Valentines? Nobody knows for sure if the holiday originally celebrated St. Valentine of Rome or St. Valentine of Terni, both of whom were martyred. Legends say that St. Valentine of Rome was a priest who defied the Roman Emperor Claudius II’s ban on soldiers getting married and continuing to marry couples in secret. Other stories say that he helped Christians escape Roman prisons and fell in love with the jailer’s daughter, writing her a letter signed “From your Valentine.”

2. Valentine’s Day has its roots in an ancient Pagan festival.

Valentine’s Day also has pagan roots alongside its connection to St. Valentine. It may have originated in Lupercalia, a festival of fertility celebrated on February 15 in ancient Rome. Lupercalia was dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus, and the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. It was celebrated with animal sacrifices and gently slapping women and crop fields with goat hides dipped in blood, which was thought to help fertility.

3. In the 1300s, it officially became a holiday associated with love.

The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky. But it is thought to have been made a holiday in the fifth century when Pope Gelasius outlawed the celebration of Lupercalia. It wasn’t until much later that it became associated with romance. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that February 14 was the start of birds’ mating season. Chaucer cemented the connection between Valentine’s Day, birds and romance with his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules,” writing, “For this was on Seynt Valentynes day, / Whan every foul cometh ther to chese his make.” The rest, as they say, is history!

4. Cupid has roots in Greek mythology.

Watch out around Valentine’s Day, or else you may be struck by Cupid’s arrow. According to Time, the ubiquitous cherub can be traced back to 700 B.C. In Ancient Greece, Eros, the Greek god of love, was depicted as a handsome young man and had the power to make people fall madly in love. Over time, he was adopted by the Romans and became known as Cupid, his image changing to the little boy with the bow and arrow. Because of his love-inspiring powers, he became linked to Valentine’s Day by the turn of the 19th century.

5. The first Valentine was sent in the 15th century.

According to History.com, the oldest Valentine we have record of is from 1415. Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote it to his wife while he was a political prisoner in the Tower of London. One of the lines in the poem? “I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.” Swoon!

6. Not until the 1840s did we get the first mass-produced Valentines.

In the 17th century, people started exchanging cards and letters with their lovers and friends. But the first mass-produced Valentines didn’t arrive on the scene until the 1840s. Known as the “Mother of the American Valentine,” Esther A. Howland sold cards with lace and ribbons that commercialized Valentines in America.

Back To The More Familiar Routine For Work

Things are back to the current norm of me working full time back at home. In December I was told that I would have to go to the office and train a new team of 10 associates along with a team manager who are joining our process. We also had the new lead for quality also joining via Webex. I adjusted it with my manager to work from the office for a day or two and then come back home for the remainder of the 2 week training period. Once that was done, then for the 2 week on the job training, I would come back to the office and spend the next 2 weeks supporting them.

However that changed – I came for 2 days and then had issues with my leg and hence I got to stay back home. I supported them remotely and it went fine is what I believe. The two weeks were tiring to be honest, though for some reason it would go a bit quiet from 8pm till about almost log out time which was 9:30 pm. Anyways, that ended this Friday and after letting the team know that I would be still supporting them for another week but that they had certain targets that they had to work towards, we ended the training.

So now, it’s back to the regular routine, except that I will continue to support then new folks for a week more and beyond if needed. I want them to be able to hit their main targets as soon as possible and then we can relax a little bit. We have a changing of the guard at the management level and hence, we need things to be streamlined so that there is less scrutiny and pressure for us.

What If We Didn’t Need To Sleep At All, Would You Still Sleep?

If you could choose not to sleep without any consequences of sleep deprivation, would you stay awake forever?

I have thought of this on many, many occasions. The thought has been on millions of people’s minds at one time or the other – what if I didn’t have to sleep and instead could use the 24 hours for whatever it is that I want to do all day. Now I have more hours to do that instead of sleeping for the 6 to 8 hours that most people do.

On some nights when I can’t sleep or when I wake up in between and can’t fall back asleep, I usually get up from bed and switch on the laptop or I switch on the tv and watch something like a sitcom or maybe a tv series. I usually stay up for 2 or 2.5 hours and then sleep will catch up with me again and I go back to bed. I do like the solitude of being the only one awake at that time – well that I know off. It seems to be that everyone in the building and nearby should be asleep.

But would I want to not need to sleep at all and instead stay up all night without any consequences? I dunno, I think we all do enjoy the sleep as well. Not just that our body needs it and we feel our eyes and brains trying to tell us to slow down but even if we didn’t need it, I think we’d all enjoy it. So I would like to be able to sleep a few hours a day even if I didn’t need it.

Prompt from Journaling Prompts from The Coffee Monterz Co . Com

Milagro – Santana

Milagro is the seventeenth studio album by Santana, released in 1992. Milagro, which means “miracle” in Spanish, was dedicated to the lives of Miles Davis and Bill Graham, and was Santana’s first album on the Polydor label after twenty-two years with Columbia Records. The album reached 102 in the Billboard  200. This was my second album of Santana that I purchased, the first being Abraxas and I also had a compilation of his best hits.

We start off from a live recording introduction by Billy Graham and it segues into Milagro. Lyrically it just states about working with others and letting music heal everyone and it’s Latin beat will keep you dancing. Beginning with a talk track by Martin Luther King, the gentle guitar works of Carlos before the religious lyrics of Somewhere In Heaven. The slow track suddenly picks up in pace. Saja/Right On is a cover of a Marvin Gay track, done in Santana’s style. Your Touch is probably one of the better tracks with a dance feel and almost spoken word style singing. The guitar solo is a searing blister of shred work. Life Is For Living is a very uptempo fun song about the good things in life, with fun guitar work as well as keyboard soloing by Chester D. Thompson.

Red Prophet is driven more by the keyboards by Chester and it takes a while for Santana’s guitar to show up. Agua Que Va Caer sounds very Afro centric and has this beat that reminds me of the Congo. Make Somebody Happy is a throwback to RnB numbers, a romantic tune. Free All The People (South Africa) is a shoutout to the end of apartheid which was just around the horizon. The singing is done well in this as is the understated guitar soloing. Gypsy/Grajonca is an instrumental ballad dedicated to German-born American impresario and rock concert promoter, with a faster and more rockier bit in the middle. Bill Graham (whose birth name was Wulf Wolodia Grajonca).

We Don’t Have To Wait is a funky number that is surely a get up and dance in concerts. And finally we A Dios which is a goodbye to the album, a quick 1:31 that ends in a jazz burst. The focus of the album is centered on Carlos Santana’s guitar interpretation and Latin rhythms. Milagro may not be Santana’s best album, but its balance of energies and genre versatility make it a record well worth listening to. It is likely not on the average rocker’s radar; however, once you give it a listen, it’s impossible not to dance and eagerly anticipate what comes next.

Some Fun Facts About Taco Bell’s CrunchWrap Supreme

The Crunchwrap Supreme was created by Lois Carson, a former member of Taco Bell’s food innovation staff, in 2005. The idea was to create menu items that could be eaten easily on the go or in the car. In its first six weeks 51 millions units were sold, and it later became the fastest selling item in Taco Bell history. Here is how the restaurant describes it: “The Crunchwrap Supreme® is a flour tortilla layered with seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, a crispy tostada shell, crispy lettuce, ripe tomatoes and topped with cool reduced fat sour cream all wrapped in our signature Crunchwrap fold and grilled to go.”

From the outside, the Crunchwrap Supreme is an unassuming, hexagonal parcel wrapped in a browned tortilla. One bite into the invention and you will be exposed to its magic. The bottom layer is a base of TBell’s signature ground beef drizzled with nacho cheese sauce, a greasy goodness you’re more than familiar with if you’ve had any other menu items. At the center is a tostada shell with dual functions, providing that eponymous crunch while also serving as a divider to the top layer, a bed of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

You’re able to get the best of both worlds with the first couple of bites. More often than not, as you get through the Crunchwrap, the tostada shell crumbles and two worlds start to blend into each other, making for a scrumptious hodgepodge of happiness. Its disc shape makes it easy enough to hold in one hand while the other guides Taco Bell’s Fire Sauce to dance around the edges. Crunchwraps are truly a marvelous feat of fast-food engineering. It’s like a delicious multilayer dip all held together by a tortilla. If perfectly made and eaten before it gets too soggy, you get a bite of every one of Taco Bell’s classic, delightful building blocks.

In India, since the beef options are not available, you get the chicken or the paneer version!

My Weird On Again/Off Again Relationship With Netflix

I ignored Netflix for the longest time. When Netflix first launched their services in India, I took the 30 day trial a few times but didn’t feel like I have to go full on and commit to a long subscription. Once in a while I would borrow someone’s account and try to watch a newly released movie or maybe a tv show but I would not commit. On the few times that I felt that I needed to subscribe as they had a couple of movies and/or a season of a series that I wanted to watch, I would immediately cancel my subscription in a month or 2 at the most and then I would wait for a long time before subscribing again.

One of the reasons I did start liking Netflix was back in 2019 when, just before my birthday, I broke my toe on one foot and sprained the ankle as well as tore the ligaments on my other foot. Don’t ask! Having busted them, I was told by the doctor to rest for 8 days and then come and see him again. During those 8 days I was to lay down in bed as much as possible and keep my legs raised on a pillow. Hence after I wake up, coffee and have breakfast, take a shower and perhaps a shave, I would sit at my desk till 11 am, then lie down till lunch time. Post lunch I would lie down till 5 pm, have coffee and snacks and then be at my desk & laptop till 8:30 pm. I’d have dinner and then go and lie down until sleep caught up with me.

That was the perfect time for me to sign up for Netflix and I did. I watched a sitcom or I should say rewatched a sitcom – Full House – and then I watched a couple of movies in between and then I started watching Fuller House, which is the sequel to it. It continued for a few weeks until both shows were done. Then I didn’t sign up until November of this year. I wanted to watch Fuller House again. I already had Full House on dvd but I needed the sequel show. Having watched that show one Sunday before I was about to cancel the subscription, I started rewatching The Big Bang Theory again and then in January I rewatched the first season of Friends. And now I have started watching Star Trek Voyager. And I have more stuff lined up. I think this time, the Netflix subscription has hooked it’s claws into me and it’s gonna be around for good.

Different Types Of Sausages

Sausages come in a wide variety, categorized based on ingredients, preparation methods, and regional traditions. Here are the main types:

1. Fresh Sausages

These are raw and must be cooked before eating.

  • Bratwurst (Germany) – Pork or veal with spices
  • Italian Sausage (Italy/USA) – Pork with fennel and garlic
  • Chorizo Fresco (Spain/Mexico) – Spicy pork sausage
  • Boudin Blanc (France) – White sausage with pork and rice
  • Breakfast Sausage (USA) – Small pork sausages flavored with sage

2. Cooked Sausages

Fully cooked during preparation but may be reheated.

  • Frankfurter (Hot Dog) (Germany/USA) – Smooth-textured pork or beef
  • Mortadella (Italy) – Large, smooth pork sausage with fat cubes
  • Liverwurst (Leberwurst) (Germany) – Soft liver-based sausage
  • Bologna (Italy/USA) – Smooth-textured, mildly spiced pork or beef

3. Smoked Sausages

Cooked and smoked for extra flavor.

  • Kielbasa (Poland) – Pork with garlic and spices
  • Andouille (France/Cajun USA) – Spicy smoked pork sausage
  • Chorizo Ahumado (Spain) – Smoked, dried, and paprika-spiced
  • Mettwurst (Germany) – Strongly flavored, sometimes spreadable

4. Dry and Cured Sausages

Preserved through curing and drying, often eaten without cooking.

  • Salami (Italy) – Fermented and air-dried pork or beef
  • Pepperoni (USA/Italy) – Spicy, dry-cured sausage for pizza
  • Soppressata (Italy) – Coarse-textured, air-dried sausage
  • Fuet (Spain) – Thin, dry-cured pork sausage
  • Chorizo Seco (Spain) – Dry-cured, heavily spiced sausage

5. Blood Sausages

Made with blood as a key ingredient.

  • Black Pudding (UK/Ireland) – Blood, oats, and fat
  • Morcilla (Spain) – Blood, rice, and spices
  • Boudin Noir (France) – Blood, onions, and seasonings

6. Vegetarian & Vegan Sausages

Meat-free alternatives made from plant-based ingredients.

  • Soy-based sausages – Tofu or textured soy protein
  • Seitan sausages – Wheat gluten-based
  • Mushroom or lentil sausages – Natural flavors with herbs and spices

Each type varies in taste, texture, and preparation method, making sausages a globally diverse food!

Newcastle United 2 Arsenal 0

Newcastle United moved a giant step closer to ending a 56-year wait to win a major trophy as they secured a place in the Carabao Cup final with victory over Arsenal after an emotional night on Tyneside.

Eddie Howe’s side, who held a 2-0 advantage from the semi-final first leg, completed the second part of the assignment, and will now face Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley as they stand one victory away from ending a sequence without major success stretching back to the 1969 triumph in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Newcastle made a flying start, with Alexander Isak having a goal ruled out for offside before Jacob Murphy turned home a rebound in the 19th minute after the Sweden striker’s shot hit the post.

The goal came seconds after Martin Odegaard missed what turned out to be Arsenal’s best chance of turning this semi-final around, glancing the post with only keeper Martin Dubravka to beat. In a tumultuous atmosphere, with the Toon Army urging their side on at deafening volume, Newcastle delivered the decisive blow after 52 minutes following a nightmare moment for Arsenal keeper David Raya.

Raya inexplicably tried to find Declan Rice, who was shadowed by Fabian Schar. He stole possession away from Rice, leaving Anthony Gordon with a simple finish to send Newcastle back to Wembley. And the Geordie hordes will be hoping to make up for losing against Manchester United in the EFL Cup final two years ago, as well as claiming a first domestic honour since the 1955 FA Cup. Arsenal and Arteta can have no complaints here, as they have been comprehensively outplayed by Newcastle over the two legs. The big chance came and went with that early Odegaard chance, as once Murphy had stretched the aggregate lead to 3-0, there was no coming back.