Useful Apps for Frequent Business Travelers

Whether it's by plane, train, or automobile, traveling for work can be stressful and hectic. To help you keep track of expenses, flight info, business cards, and much more, these four apps will help streamline your next business trip. 

Wi-Fi Finder
Need quick access to the internet? Available for iPhone and Android, this free app relies on your phone's GPS to find the closest Wi-Fi hotspot, with information on cost. You can even filter your search by type of Wi-Fi provider and venue. 

CardMunch
Instead of mindlessly tossing a business card into your purse or suit pocket, take a photo of the business card using this handy app, which instantly turns the card into a phone contact. Never lose an important business contact again. Available for iPhone. 

Expensify
A free app for iPhone and Android, this app collects your travel expenses via your bank account or credit card and compiles the info into a business report. If you're paying cash, just scan the receipt with your phone to import the information.  

GateGuru
Keep track of your flight into with this app, available for iPhone and Android. Just import your flight information and the app will keep you updated on any information, like departure gates and delays.

5 Granola Recipes That’ll Kick Start Your Morning

A nutritious breakfast basic or on-the-go snack, granola is simple to make — and occasionally pricey! Stretch your dollars by trying these five recipes at home.

Alton Brown's Granola Recipe [Food Network]

Megan's Granola [Allrecipes]

Basic Granola Recipe [Chow]

A Better Granola [Bon Appetit]

Homemade Granola Recipe [Joy of Baking]

Etsy: Boutique Shopping Online

Do you love hand-crafted clothes, vintage jewelry, and handmade art? Then it's about time you visited Etsy.com. Etsy is an online marketplace that brings together artisans and craftspeople from all around the globe so that they can sell their lovely products to you, the consumer. Even better, most items are very reasonably priced, and you feel good for supporting a small business owner, entrepreneur, or working mom. Whether you're looking for a hand-knitted scarf, playful watercolors for your child's room, or earrings to wear on your wedding day, Etsy will have just what you're looking for!

Are you crafty? Then you can start your own business on Etsy by selling the goods you make! Whether you're buying or selling, Etsy is a vibrant online community worth checking out and being a part of.

To start shopping, head to www.Etsy.com.

Satisfying Sips: Homemade Sangria

If you're looking for a fun beverage for your next dinner party or celebration, there's no better sip than a glass of chilled Sangria. This easy-to-make recipe makes one large pitcher of tasty, refreshing Sangria, certain to please everyone's palate.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz all work well)
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 peach cut into wedges
2 tbsp sugar
1 shot brandy
2 cups ginger ale or club soda

Preparation:

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon and orange into the wine. Add in all the citrus and peach wedges (leaving out seeds if possible), and mix in the sugar and brandy. If possible, chill overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

Add in the ginger ale or club soda just before serving to add some extra fizz. (If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.)

Cheers!

Recipe courtesy of About.com

Signature Cocktails: Make Your Next Party Great!

It’s the small details that make celebrations truly memorable. To impress your guests, delight them with the thoughtful details, like signature cocktails! Signature cocktails are a fun and easy way to set the tone for your next party. Not only that, but it will save you from setting up a full bar! Your guests will love sipping on your signature concoction as they mix and mingle.

Enhance the Theme
Make  sure your signature drink fits the overall feel of the party. For example, if you’re preparing a meal with a Mexican flair, opt for a Margarita or Sangria. Or, if you’re going for a swanky feel, be sure your signature cocktail includes a classy ingredient like champagne.

Make in Advance
The last thing you want is to be mixing drinks all night when you should be enjoying your party! Make a pitcher (or two) of your signature cocktail in advance to save you from playing bartender.

Crowd Pleaser
Make sure you choose a cocktail that will delight a variety of palates – meaning stay away from anything too obscure or too strong. A hint of citrus or a tinge of sweetness is often a good way to go, like a vodka & cranberry spritzer with lime.

Don’t Forget the Garnish
Nothing makes a cocktail feel classier than a little garnish. Think about what would pair well with your drink, and make sure it’s available to your guests – a few berries in the bottom of a champagne flute or a lemon twist to brighten a martini.

Cheers!

Captivating Classic Adventure Movies

If you’re in the mood for a film that gets the adrenaline pumping, why not opt for an action-packed adventure film? Here are five of the best choices to you’re your next movie night as heart-poundingly fun as possible:
 
King Kong (1933)
No list of adventure films would be complete without this classic of the genre. “King Kong” follows the adventures of a film crew who goes to a tropical island to finish the shooting of a film. While on the island, they encounter a massive gorilla who develops a passion for the film’s female star (played by Fay Wray), and the movie follows the crew as they struggle to save her and themselves from the gorilla’s brutal will. 
 
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
This epic adventure film, directed by David Lean, tells the story of a real-life man named Thomas Edward Lawrence – an individual who led a guerilla army to triumph in the Arabian desert (during the Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I). The movie is packed with sweeping visuals and action-packed scenes as Lawrence forges ahead, eventually helping the British bring down the Ottoman Empire. 
 
North by Northwest (1959)
This Hithcock classic combines intrigue with adventures when a New York ad executive (played by Cary Grant) gets mistaken as a government agent. He flees across the country while being ferociously pursued by a group of foreign spies, and the film brings viewers on a harrowing journey as he struggles to outsmart the spies and survive. The movie includes a romantic thread along with the ample amounts of adventure, so the movie appeals on many levels.
 
Goldfinger (1964)
This James Bond classic, directed by Gary Hamilton, follows Bond as he untangles gold magnate Auric Goldfinger’s plot to infiltrate the Fort Knox gold reserve. The goal of Goldfinger and his henchmen is nothing less than to obliterate the world economy. Bond’s mission to stop their plot and save the world brings up against many obstacles – and the fun is in watching him maneuver his way forward despite the tangles placed in his path.
 
Top Gun (1986)
This film, staring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, follows the students of a top US flying school that are working toward becoming advanced fighter pilots. As they compete to be the best in the class, the main character Maverick (played by Cruise) combines his sky adventures with earthly pursuit of a female instructor in the flight school. 
 

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