Monday, October 28, 2013

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Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:04 AM PDT

When you are high amongst the waves, riding ten feet high waves, you feel truly alive. Surfing is much more than just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. Surfers are always trying to catch that big wave that will take them higher than ever before. In this search they travel around the world and run after storm systems to find that perfect place to surf. Some places are naturally great for surfing and attract the highest numbers of surfers every year. Let’s take a look at such top 10 surf spots in the world.

10. Samoa:

Samoa is an independent state in the Samoan Islands archipelago near Fiji. Located in the South Pacific, it is one of the best places to find big and consistent waves. Waves come in all directions and the tropical warm waters are great for surfing year round. All the beaches on Samoa are great for wave hunters.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

9. Teahupoo, Tahiti:

Teahupoo in Tahiti is one of the better known places for catching huge waves. The annual Billabong Pro Tahiti surf competition is held here. Being located in the South Pacific means great big waves of over 10 feet, warm waters to surf in and sunny beaches to chill out on.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

8. Huntington Beach, U.S.A.:

Huntington Beach is known as Surf City in U.S.A and is the best place to surf in America. It offers some of the largest waves with the perfect break. The OP Pro Surfing Tournament and the International Surfing Championship is held here every year. The summer months attract most surfers but locals claim that the waves in winter are less choppy.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

7. Isla Ensenada, Panama:

This is a new find in the world of surfing. It lies just 5 miles off the Panamanian coast. The best thing about this area is that only 20 surfers can surf at one time as part of the Morro Negrito Surf Camp. There are breaks for beginners and more challenging ones for experts too. This is an untouched paradise as compared to other more commercialized areas.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

6. Northern Peru:

Peru is a paradise for the left footed Goofy Footers. The waves here break at the reefs and offer a challenge for most surfers. You can visit Lobitos, Cabo Blanco, Panic Point and Chicama. The waves at Chicama are some of the longest waves in the world. You can visit year round and find waves even during the Southern hemisphere winter.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

5. Tamarindo, Costa Rica:

Tamarindo in Costa Rica became famous after being featured in the surfing movie The Endless Summer 2. Since then surfers have made a beeline to this place which has turned into a pretty decent resort. The waves here are aggressive and both short and long board styles of surfing are welcome.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

4. Fuerteventura, Spain:

Fuerteventura is an island that is part of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. It is located at a very good latitude for surging that aligns with Florida and Mexico. The weather here is perfect year round and the waves are challenging. This place is known as the Mecca of surfers.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

3. Gold Coast, Australia:

This place is known as the Surfer’s Paradise Beach and that says it all about the quality of waves that form here. There are waves of every level and beginners and experts can both enjoy this beach together. The pipes here are some of the longest in the world. The weather is perfect from March to June and September to December.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

2. Jeffery’s Bay, South Africa:

Jeffery’s Bay is a paradise for surfers as there is nothing much to do except surfing. This means that only surfers visit this area and there are no annoying tourists to bear. There are 6 breakpoints and some legendary waves roll onto the beaches all the time. The Billabong Surfing Festival is held here as well.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

1. Tavarua, Fiji:

The best surfing camps in the world are held in Tavarua, Fiji. The area has developed into a five star surfing resort and you can tackle the waves while also enjoying luxurious hospitality of the resorts, restaurants and bungalows. The prices are sky high as well because of the exclusivity of this location.

Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers

The post Top 10 Surf Spots Considered As Paradise For Surfers appeared first on TopYaps.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:03 AM PDT

Be it winter or summer, ice creams are the most favorite sweet delicacies we can enjoy. Ice cream lovers can salivate at the mere mention of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate flavors. And, with the festive season already in full swing, you can experiment with newer ingredients and impress your friends with your culinary skills. Prepare mouth watering ice creams at home this season. For your help, we’ve compiled a list some quick time ice cream recipes you can't go wrong with. Here's the list of the top 7 mouth watering ice cream recipes that will surely tingle your taste buds.

7. Pistachio Nut Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

¾ cup sugar, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1/3 cups shelled pistachio nuts,  Pinch of salt, 6 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract and ¾ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

  • Grind 1/3 cups of pistachios. In a saucepan, warm milk, sugar and a cup of cream and salt, stir well.
  • Stir in groundnuts. Remove from heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Strain the warm nut mixture, pressing on the nuts to extract as much liquid as possible, and discard the solids.
  • Return the milk and cream mixture to the saucepan. Pour cream in a separate saucepan and cover with strainer.
  • In a separate bowl whisk egg yolk and pour the warm mixture into egg yolk. Stir constantly over medium heat, until thick.
  • Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and stir until combined.
  • Refrigerate until cold and freeze into ice cream maker.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

6. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

1½ cups whole milk, Pinch of salt, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, a teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups heavy cream, divided, 3 drops green food coloring, 1½ teaspoons mint extract and ½ cup chocolate chips.

Directions:

  • Warm 1 cup of the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat
  • Pour 1 cup heavy cream into a bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks. Pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks. Constantly stir over medium heat, until thick.
  • Pour the custard through the strainer and stir into the cream. Add vanilla and mint extracts and food coloring.
  • Chill the mixture and then freeze.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

5. Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

6 egg yolks, 1 quart strawberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, divided, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, divided, 1 cup whole milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 whole vanilla bean, 2 cups heavy cream and pinch of salt.

Directions:

  • Place ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, strawberries and the lemon juice in a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a container and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Warm 1 cup of the cream, the milk, salt and the remaining ¾ cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan set over medium heat. Let it remain for 30 minutes.
  • Whisk egg yolk in a separate bowl. Add the warm mixture into egg yolks slowly. Continuously stir over medium heat, until thick.
  • Add custard from the strainer and into the cream, and then add in the vanilla extract. Remove the strawberry mixture from the refrigerator and add it to the cream mixture, stirring to fully combine.
  • Chill the mixture and then freeze.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

4. Classic Vanilla Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, 3 cups heavy cream, ¾ cup sugar and Pinch of salt.

Directions:

  • Add a cream cup into saucepan with salt and sugar.
  • Then scrape bean of vanilla and add it to the pot. Warm it over medium heat.
  • Remove from heat and add 2 cups cream and vanilla extract.
  • Chill the mixture and then freeze in the ice cream maker.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

3. Cinnamon Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks, 1 cup whole milk, Pinch of salt, broken up, 2 cups heavy cream, divided, ten 3-inch cinnamon sticks and ¾ cup granulated sugar.

Directions:

Heat the milk, salt, 1 cup of the heavy cream, cinnamon sticks and sugar in a saucepan. Again heat the cinnamon infused mixture. Add the rest of the heavy cream in a bowl and cover with a mesh strainer. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Pour the warm mixture into egg yolks, whisking continuously. Stir the mixture over medium heat until think. Pour the custard through the strainer into the cream. Chill the mixture then freeze it.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

2. Chocolate Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

Makes about 1 quart- 1 cup whole milk ,3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups heavy cream, 5 ounces semisweet chocolate,¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt and 5 large egg yolks.

Directions:

  • Warm 1 cup of cream with cocoa powder in a saucepan
  • Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
  • Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a separate saucepan. Slowly pour warm milk into egg yolk. Stir the mixture over medium heat, until it thickens.
  • Pour the custard through the strainer and stir into the chocolate mixture and then stir in vanilla.
  • Chill the mixture and freeze it in your ice cream maker.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

1. Butter Pecan Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

½ cup water, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 cup packed light brown sugar,1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk.

Directions:

  • Mix salt, water and brown sugar and boil in a saucepan.
  • Beat eggs in a bowl and then slowly beat in the syrup.
  • Cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly till the mixture reaches 175°F.
  • Add unsalted butter and stir until melted.
  • Strain into a bowl and refrigerate.
  • In a separate bowl add whole milk and vanilla extract and mix well.
  • Beat the cream until soft and fold into egg mixture. Freeze the mixture to get your yummy ice cream.

7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes

The post 7 Mouth-Watering Ice Cream Recipes appeared first on TopYaps.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:00 AM PDT

When you see someone who is really cool, you wish you could be more like them. But then you underestimate yourself and feel that you can never be cool and will always be nervous and scared and confused. Fear not because even though some people are inherently cool, you too can learn to be cool. It’s a skill that can be learned like any other. In the beginning you won’t be very good at it but as you practice more of it you’ll keep improving and one day someone else will look at you and wonder if they could be as cool as you. You need to learn how to act cool, look cool and actually be cool.

7. Know Yourself:

Let’s first talk about actually being cool. If you are not a cool person from inside then you can never pull off looking and acting cool. A cool person never fakes it so pay attention to these first 5 tips. The first thing you need to do is find out who you really are. A cool person knows who he is and what he wants in life. He has a purpose in life and he’s passionate about the things he does. He knows what he likes and doesn’t do things just because everyone else is doing them. Accept all your flaws and try to work on them but don’t hate yourself for being flawed. A cool person is okay with not being perfect. Knowing yourself takes time so you need to be patient.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

6. Be Yourself:

Once you know yourself it is important to learn to be yourself. When we are in groups we tend to blend in and do whatever the group is doing. But a cool person is highly individual and doesn’t like doing things just to fit in. Don’t be afraid of being the odd one out and just be yourself. You are a unique person so don’t try to be like others. Create your own style and be yourself. A cool person never does anything under peer pressure. This too is a hard step to take but if you keep trying slowly you’ll get better at asserting your identity in a group.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

5. Respect Others:

Once you learn to know and be yourself and accept yourself for who you are, you also need to accept others for who they are. Don’t judge people. They too are unique and have their own flaws and strengths. A cool person doesn’t discriminate based on color, cast or creed. You should treat everyone with respect without caring about how rich they are. For a cool person everyone is equal and no one is better than the rest. This is a hard perspective to develop but if you work on it you will be able to do it. If you want to consider yourself as good as everybody else then you have to start by accepting that no one is inferior than others in any way.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

4. Be Confident:

If you’ve done the above 3 steps then by now you would have already developed a lot of confidence. Confidence comes from being who you are and knowing that you are just as good as everyone else. This is an important part of being cool. Cool people are confident in their skin and don’t need to hide behind a fake personality. When you are confident it will show in your behavior and body language. If you are too self conscious you won’t be able to pull off any style but if you are confident you can look cool even in a simple jeans and t-shirt. As a warning remember to not be overconfident and cocky as then you’ll just be a jerk.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

3. Be Fit:

A cool person is fit and healthy. This is not about having the perfect lean figure or body. Fat people can also be cool as long as they are not so fat as to be unhealthy. Healthy and fit people tend to be positive and optimistic which is a requirement to be cool. A negative or whiny person can’t be cool. A healthy body helps you stay positive and happy. It also means that you are confident of your body and not so self aware as to cause you anxiety and depression. So remember to make exercise a part of your daily routine. Eat healthy and never overindulge in anything. Stay away from harmful substances and pursue a healthy lifestyle.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

2. Look Cool:

By following the above 5 steps you’ll learn how to be cool, but that alone is not enough. You also need to learn how to look cool. The most important point is to have your own style. Your style shouldn’t be based on the latest fashion that everyone else is following blindly. It should be simple and functional. Work on your hairstyle and develop a personal sense of fashion and how you carry yourself. Always maintain proper hygiene and take care of your body. Even if you are going for a rugged unshaven look, trim your beard and comb your hair regularly.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

1. Act Cool:

Now that you know how to be cool and how to look cool you also need to learn how to act cool. Being cool is the foundation over which you’ve laid down the first floor of looking cool but if you don’t act cool then everything is ruined. To act cool, remember to exude confidence. Stay calm at all times. Never try to be too needy for attention. Never be rude. Have a good sense of humor. Use wit to make people laugh. Always remember to smile and make others comfortable. Never lose control in anger or by getting too drunk. A cool guy always stays cool. Don’t be too shy and speak up. Give compliments and apologize when required. If you learn to do all these things you’ll soon be called the coolest cat in town.

7 Tips To Become A Cool Person

The post 7 Tips To Become A Cool Person appeared first on TopYaps.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 04:57 AM PDT

They make the most loathsome figures in movies and their characters are despised by all. However, as one single wheel can't make the vehicle move, same is with a typical Hindi movie that cannot run on the sole acting of a Hero. It needs to have a Villain who shares half the burden of a movie. They may be bad guys feasting on hateful dialogues, but many a times they have left the audience in awe at their performance and characterization. Here we’ll discuss about the ten popular villains of Hindi Cinema without whom our Heroes become nothing but someone who only evokes boredom.

9. Ranjeet:

The most popular sidekick villain of the 70s, 80s and 90s, Ranjeet holds infamy of committing 350 onscreen rapes. He was particularly feared by female audience for his 'rapist' ways and love towards commodifying women bodies. Although you'll be surprised how gentle the guy is in his personal life – he's a pure vegetarian, doesn’t enjoy alcohol and probably never hurt a fly.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

8. Lalita Pawar:

Appeared in over 700 films in Hindi and Marathi cinema, Lalita Pawar's film career spanned over more than 70 years. She was recognized for her over-domineering matriarch and vamp characters. She was often seen breaking onscreen marriages and today bad mother-in-laws have almost become synonymous to her roles. Her squint-eye expression once looked at, never leaves the mind.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

7. Shakti Kapoor:

Shakti Kapoor is one of the most diverse actors ever seen by Bollywood. There's hardly a role he hasn't tried his luck with. But, he is still known to the world only for his villainy in Hindi Movies. He played distinctive villainous character for over his three decades career in Bollywood. His archetypal catchpharase 'Aaoo Lolita' is considered illustrious and still used villains during their dialogue delivery to add a devilish style to their character.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

6. Jeevan:

The admired 'Narad Muni' of the mythological films of 1950s essayed many villainous characters in his life. He later became famous for his trademark roles of ravenous landlord and sidekick of movie's head villain whom he later overpowered with his tricky mind to capture the thrown of his dream.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

5. Prem Chopra:

Who can forget "Prem naam hai mera … Prem Chopra", the famous one-liner form Bobby starring young Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. Prem Chopra added a new breadth to the role of a mischievous sprite. His roles were in particular more inclined towards getting the better of a heroine. And, this is what led to his bashing from hero in most flicks he was part of.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

4. Amjad Khan:

This character needs no introduction. It doesn’t matter if you are into film watching or not, you must have heard about the legendary character of 'Gabbar Singh' in the timeless classic 'Sholay'. No one can forget the immortal dialogue "Are O Sambha kitne aadmi thei". The character of notorious dacoit  – other than establishing several cultural trends in India, earned him name and fame for a life time.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

3. K.N. Singh:

K.N Singh is probably the first stylish villain Hindi cinema has ever been graced with. Such was his unique style of dialogue delivery that he often outclassed heroes of the time who were generally attired in traditional dhoti-kurta. K.N.Singh with his three piece suit and trademark pipe in mouth always looked class better than other villains of his times. His expressive eyes and ruthless remarks mostly did the ultimate trick for him.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

2. Amrish Puri:

No one, but Amrish Puri is said to have matched Amitabh Bachhan for his husky and commanding voice. The veteran of acting who featured in dozens of blockbusters wanted to enter the cinema space as a hero. But he failed the screen test and only for the good of Hindi film industry and cinema lovers. It was the role of 'Mogambo' in Mr. India and catchphrase "Mogambo khush hua" that gave him new recognition. The camera always tried to capture his red-bloodied eyes from close up while he was out there voicing his dialogues. For his dominating presence, he at times, even outscored the hero of the movie.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

1. Pran:

The super villain of Hindi cinema who charmed more women (and men too) than the main lead in his movies of 1960s and 1970s, Pran is has always been the beloved Villain of Bollywood. Who can forgot his most cherished dialogue "Sahab lagta hai ilake mein naye aye ho jo sher khan ko nhi jante" in Zanjeer. An anecdote from the life of legendary actor says that such was the terror of this fine villain that once he entered the school of his kids to pick them up at the day's end, the other children were seen running on catching a glimpse of this dreaded villain of the time.

Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema

The post Top 9 Legendary Villains Of Hindi Cinema appeared first on TopYaps.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

Posted: 25 Oct 2013 12:05 AM PDT

A report from Mercer Consulting, a human resources firm, claims that the cost of living in Asian, African and North American cities has been on a constant rise. In order to determine the most expensive cities in the world the organization conducted the Mercer's 2013 Cost of Living Survey. It is a collection of statistics from 214 countries spread across five continents. The base city is New York and it examines more than 200 items in each location including food, clothing, housing, transportation and so on. Based on the survey, below is the list of top 10 most expensive cities to live in.

10. Sydney, Australia:

Sydney, one of the largest cities in Australia, is also the most expensive. It has been ranked as the tenth most expensive city in the world. The housing costs are the biggest contributors that have pushed Sydney way ahead of the other cities. Owing a two bedroom luxury apartment in Sydney would cost you around $2,551.42 on monthly basis.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

9. Bern, Switzerland:

Bern is one of the three cities from Switzerland that made it to the top ten lists of the world's most expensive cities. The city is best known for its quality of life. The total population of the foreign nationals in the city account for a total of 23.5 percent. The average monthly rent of a two bedroom luxury apartment in Bern would cost around $2,686.51.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

8. Zurich, Switzerland:

Hosting a number of banking giants like Credit Suisse and UBS, Zurich has been listed as the eighth most expensive city in the world. The high cost of living is attributed to the ever increasing costs of security, education and tax.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

7. Geneva, Switzerland:

Geneva has been ranked number seventh this time as the most expensive city in the world by Mercer. Here the average monthly rent for a luxury two bedroom apartment has gone up to nearly $300 from the previous year to $4,800. Geneva hosts the world's most expensive private schools and is best known for its quality education system that further increases the cost of living.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

6. Hong Kong, Hong Kong:

The most substantial increase in the cost of living in Hong Kong has been in the renting property. You can expect the average monthly rent for a two bedroom luxury apartment hiked to about $7,100 from $1,300. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and therefore people are facing limited housing supply. The average housing prices have risen to over 93 percent ever since 2006.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

5. Singapore, Singapore:

Singapore is the city that has been continuously moving up in the Mercer's most expensive cities list. It is gaining worldwide attention for its increasing property prices and rent rates as compared to the rest of Southeast Asia. Singapore is also one of the most expensive places to own a car. Here the permit to own a new car costs somewhere $46,000 to $67,000.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

4. N' Djamena, Chad:

The capital and economic centre of Chad, N'Djamena is listed fourth amongst the top ten most expensive cities in the world. It is extremely difficult to find a safe and suitable accommodation for simple living in N'Djamena. This makes the few available places extremely expensive, increasing the cost of living. Also the big companies have to take into account the personal safety of their employees because of the high rates of violent activities in the city.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

3. Tokyo, Japan:

Tokyo, the world's most expensive city in 2012, ranked third this year. Here the cost of living and renting property is relatively same compared to the previous years. At the same time the cost of other goods such as a cup of coffee, fast food meals and fuel has gone up.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

2. Moscow, Russia:

The Russian capital is ranked as the second most expensive city in the world. Moscow stands second in the list primarily because of the high rental properties in the centre of the city. Owning a two bedroom luxury apartment in Moscow, would cost on an average about $4,600.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

1. Luanda, Angola:

The African city of Luanda has been declared as the most expensive city in the world. This city has topped the list for the second time in three years. It is the capital of Angola (the second largest oil producer in the world). Angola is indeed emerging as a political and economical powerhouse. High taxes accompanied with heavy import duties and monopolized supply chains that are linked to the powerful political elites; rise up the prices of goods and services to extreme levels. The high cost of living in Luanda is again because of the high renting property. The cost of owning a two bedroom luxury apartment in Luanda is about $6,500.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In

The post Top 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In appeared first on TopYaps.

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