Archive for August, 2009

The Validity of the Badass

Here’s what makes the badass trait so desirable:

  • A badass has an “I don’t give a damn” attitude. They seem to live on their own terms, free from the social constraints that leave others feeling inhibited. Their careless attitude may seem like they really don’t care about anything, but they realize that by not caring about things that don’t matter, they liberate themselves.
  • Badasses are natural leaders. Confidence naturally builds trust in others. If others are uncertain, but you are 100% certain, they’ll gravitate toward you.
  • Badasses get what they want. They put themselves first and in doing so, unabashedly seek out and attain what they desire. This is actually a highly positive trait to have, as long as you don’t use or manipulate others to get what you want.
  • They don’t tolerate BS. They don’t have low self-esteem. Therefore, they have no need to tolerate bullsh**.
  • Excitement. This is, hands down, the most coveted trait of them all. Badasses, renegades, outliers, whatever you want to call them, live on the edge. They’re not afraid to take risks or break the rules. Their fearlessness enables them to ignore the so-called practical requirements for living the masses prescribe to. Badasses realize that most rules are really just agreements. They don’t agree that life needs to be dull, boring, drudgery. Therefore, they take risks and choose endeavors that would make others cringe.

Your Inner Badass

Let’s face it, everyone wants to be a “badass.” The type of person that is unafraid to live how they want, totally free from restraint.

But is it really possible to learn how to be a badass? That’s supposed to be something you’re born with, right? I don’t think so. I think everyone has an inner, alter-ego badass, waiting to be unleashed.

All you have to do is practice letting it out.

Thai-style beef stir-fry recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 400g beef fillet, trimmed and cut into thin strips
  • Sesame oil
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
  • 2cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • Half a red chilli, trimmed and roughly sliced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 150g chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
  • 150g mange tout
  • 150g asparagus cut in half
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • Handful of Thai sweet basil (or coriander) leaves, to garnish

For the rice

  • 200g jasmine rice per person
  • 2 star anise
  • Handful Thai basil
  • 2 slices of galangal root
  • Small handful of coriander, chopped

For the sauce:

  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Method: How to make Thai-style beef stir-fry

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water. Place in pan water (approx 400ml) with a touch of salt, 2 star anise, a small handful of Thai basil and a slice of galangal. Bring to the boil then simmer for approximately 10 minutes according to packet instructions.

2. Have the beef and all the aromatics and vegetables chopped and ready before you begin to cook.

3. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Drizzle the beef with sesame oil making sure all the pieces are coated and season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat a wok or a large frying pan until hot then add a little oil, swirling the wok to coat the surface evenly. Add half the beef strips and stir-fry for about a minute just until brown on the surface, but still medium rare in the middle. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef. Set the beef aside.

5. Add a little more oil to the pan along with the garlic, ginger and chilli. Stir-fry the mixture for about a minute until lightly golden and fragrant. Toss in the mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute. Add the carrots and a splash of water (this will create steam, which will help to cook the vegetables evenly). After a minute, toss in the red pepper, asparagus and mange tout. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.

6. Give the sauce a stir and pour into the wok, then return the beef to the pan. Toss over the heat for another minute until the sauce has thickened. Add the chopped coriander towards the end of cooking. Turn off the heat and stir in the spring onions.

7. Spoon the stir-fry onto warm plates and scatter over the basil leaves. Serve at once, with steamed jasmine rice.

©Gordon Ramsay

Self Branding

I want to give you guys some motivation and a short reminder in keeping up your sharpest image at all times.

Let’s get to it.

To a lot of guys, keeping up their image is more work than pleasure. Most guys won’t hesitate to spend 5 hours watching a sports game, but will rationalize themselves out of spending 5  minutes on tidying up their look.

The truth is that we all know how much it does make a difference in our personal and professional lives. But why don’t men care as much as women? Because we don’t have as much social pressure and motivation to do so. I hate to talk about gender stereotypes but it’s true that men are pressured more than women to be the caretakers / head of the household. Men can get by without glamorizing themselves because most men make up for it through giving value in these other ways.

Warm goat’s cheese salad with an apple vinaigrette recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 x 70g individual soft goat’s cheeses with rind e.g. Gevrik
  • Few sprigs of thyme
  • 2 baby gem lettuces, washed
  • 40g lamb’s lettuce, washed
  • 50g walnut halves
  • 4 slices of white bread
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

For the vinaigrette

  • ½ lemon, juice only
  • 1 tbsp walnut oil
  • ½ apple, such as Granny Smith or Bramley, grated

Method: How to make warm goat’s cheese salad with apple and walnut vinaigrette

1. Pre heat oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Place the goat’s cheese on a baking tray. Arrange a walnut half on top of each cheese. Lightly crush the remaining walnuts with your fingers and set aside. Drizzle the cheese with olive oil, scatter over the thyme leaves and season with black pepper.

3. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes, or until the cheese has melted inside but retained its shape.

4. Shred the baby gems before transferring to a bowl. Add the lamb’s lettuce and crushed walnuts. Toss to mix.

5. In a separate bowl mix the lemon juice with approximately 1 tablespoon of walnut oil and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Grate in half the apple, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.

6. Drizzle a little vinaigrette over the salad and toss together.

7. Toast the bread until golden. When ready, use a cleaned out tin can or a chef’s ring to cut the toast into 4 round croutons.

8. To serve, arrange the dressed walnut salad onto serving plates. Place the crouton on the salad and top with the goat’s cheese. Spoon over the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Attractive Body Language

from Kinowear.com

Accentuating Attractive Body Language

Good body language will show alpha male traits and attractive traits like dominance, strength, relaxed confidence, and being at secure with oneself and at ease around a woman.

See if you have all these areas covered when around women:

  • Take up space – taking up space shows that you are dominant and displays confidence through a sense of entitled territory, so instead of folding inwards in a crowded area, spread out a little. A good rule of thumb is sitting or standing comfortably like you would if it was your place
  • When sitting, spread legs comfortably past shoulder width – you can also slightly lean to one side to look more relaxed instead of being asymmetrical
  • Be relaxed - check if any part of your body language is displaying that you are tense. Make sure your arms are uncrossed, you are not sitting in a way where you are about to spring into action, and your body is not tense in any area
  • Smile and laugh - being relaxed doesn’t mean you have to have a boring look like you’re about to fall asleep, it means that you’re enjoying yourself and having fun
  • Focus your eyes on who are talking - focused eye contact will show that you are present with the girl, and not in your head thinking of your next line, which will send the wrong vibe that you are needy and anxious to please
  • Lean back - a simple way to show that you are relaxed
  • Avoid being jumpy – low status guys are always jumpy, ready to hop up and please a woman, to do whatever she wants
  • Move slow and deliberately - control your movements by moving with purpose instead of in reaction, it’ll display that you are calm and collected in the situation. The dominant alpha male will do what he wants on his own terms, slow and deliberately
  • When standing, keep chin up and head up with your back and neck straight - avoid being slumped over, a lot of guys don’t keep their necks straight and this can display a lack of strength and poise. A good exercise for this is to stand with your back against a wall and make sure your head is slightly touching the wall as well
  • Feet and legs should be shoulder with apart when standing - show women that you have a package down there you need to work around and make room for
  • If you’re holding a drink, hold the drink down by your waist - do not hold your drink in front of your chest, while talking to a woman, it shows defensiveness just like crossing your arms, like you’re guarding yourself

Putting It All Together

Don’t forget that the alpha male attitude comes from the inside out, but working on outer body language can have a profound impact on the thoughts and feelings we harbor inside our minds.

You don’t have to TRY so hard to fix yourself if you see that you do the opposite of most of the things listed here. Awareness is the key. As long as you keep catching yourself and correcting it, that’s all that matters.

Don’t overdo it. Some guys overdo it and it just looks ridiculous. You want it to be subtle and still feel natural to you. The real goal with body language is to have more control over the impressions we make and awareness of the signals we’re giving off.

Use your good judgment and control your body language appropriately to the situation.

For example, leaning back TOO much all the time when talking to people can seem like you are aloof and distant, sometimes leaning in at certain points will show people that you are interesting in what they are saying, or have something exciting to say yourself. But leaning in TOO much can also seem needy. Calibrate to the situation.

Unattractive Body Language

From Kinowear.com

We all know how important body language is in the game of attracting the opposite sex. But what is attractive body language, and what is unattractive body language?


Pinpointing Unattractive Body Language

Bad body language displays unattractive traits like weakness, nervousness, neediness, insecurity, discomfort, and submissiveness.

Here is a quick list of some unattractive body language that will display beta male characteristics:

  • Talking to people with arms folded - this gives the impression that you’re closed off, nervous, and uncomfortable. Sometimes we do it as an unconscious way of protecting ourselves
  • Nervous fidgeting or energy – unnecessarily touching the face, lips, or neck area can seem like you’re nervous and uncomfortable. This also includes moving around too quickly without control
  • Hands in pockets - this comes off the same way when talking to women with your arms folded, it can seem like you are nervous or uncomfortable
  • Slumping head or shoulders down - this can display submissiveness or a lack of strength and dominance
  • Looking uncomfortable in social situation - constantly looking around, not being able to sit still, not taking up space, looking as if ready to leave, all make a person look uncomfortable and anxious
  • Not taking up space – when sitting or standing, avoid caving into yourself, it says that you’re not worthy of attention and entitlement of some territory
  • Walking quickly wherever you go - walking around too fast all the time when you don’t have to can display nervousness, like you want to flee the situation
  • Leaning in when talking to women - this only really matters in the beginning of your interaction with a woman, as it can display an interest too soon, seeming needy and coming off as creepy

Crab linguine with chilli, lemon, garlic and parsley recipe

This delicious and inspiring idea for a simple fish dish of crab linguine with chilli, lemon, garlic and parsley is a surefire winner.

Serves 4
Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100ml olive oil
  • 1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 3 pared strips of lemon zest, finely chopped
  • 450g linguine
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 225g freshly cooked white crab meat
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Method: How to make crab pasta with chilli

1. Put the olive oil, chilli, garlic and lemon zest into a small pan and put over a gentle heat until it begins to sizzle. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook for 8-9 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

3. Tip the chilli and lemon mixture into the pan the pasta was in, then add the lemon juice and season. Heat until sizzling, then add the linguine and crab meat to the pan and toss gently over a medium heat to warm the crab through.

Add the parsley, season, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

© delicious. magazine

Who the f**k is Gordon Ramsay?

When he’s red-faced and screaming and calling someone a donkey, it’s easy to forget that Gordon Ramsay, TV’s most feared chef, is also among the world’s greatest. His empire includes 25 restaurants around the world. He’s written nearly 20 books and has one of the most recognizable scowls on TV. (In case you’ve lost count, he hosts three programs in the U.K., two in the U.S. and another, Man Camp, on the way.) His telegenic temper has made him the world’s third highest-earning chef, but unlike other celebrity cooks, Ramsay is a force in the kitchen. He currently holds a staggering 10 Michelin Stars, three of them at New York’s own Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC hotel. With a new restaurant open in London and new seasons of Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen just begun, Ramsay continues to take over the world — one four-letter word at a time.

Nicked from Cover ;)