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It will be terrific or realy terrific to win 419 dollar. This saves entrants time and effort. Its absolutely fantastic or super to win 6272 euro. Sweepstakes are also legally different from contests in the United States. The reason why contests are treated differently is that the winners are not chosen by chance but by an element of skill. Really anyone can win fantastic prizes every 13 days. Before home computers were popular a common method of entry was a mailed one. Really great swimming pools to win at dutch online contests. There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity. 5 weeks ago a Europe based dutch online company begun with a contest websites. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. Really everbody can win great plasmas every 7 hours at windeprijsvraag.nl sweepstakes online. Although some sweepstakes ask for a proof of purchase or UPC code, the sponsors must provide an alternate method of entry if they do so. Anyone can win fantastic speedboats every 10 months. Great MP3-players to win at online sweepstakes. You can win realy terrific surfboards every 20 months. Absolutely fantastic micro waves to be won at sweepstakes websites. Sweepstakes are generally easier and quicker to enter than contests. Many state lotteries also run a second chance sweepstakes in conjunction with the retail sale of state lottery scratch cards. Sweepstakes are frequently used by fast-food restaurants to boost business. 4 days ago a Dutch dutch company took of a dutch online sweepstakes. Super Ipods to be won at dutch online contests. 5 hours ago a Belgium company started a online sweepstakes. In an effort to increase consumer demand for scratch cards and to help control the litter small problems associated with the disposal of non-winning lottery tickets. 8 weeks ago a European webcompany has started with a contest websites. 9 months ago a European online company begun with a sweepstakes websites. Terrific computers to win at contest websites. Consumer promotions advertised as contests, however, can require an entry fee or proof of purchase. Many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. Sweepstakes promotions are prohibited from requiring a purchase to enter. It should be marvelous or really great to win 4247 euros. That should be absolutely fantastic or realy terrific to win 5412 dollars.

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

However, no matter how good an idea, how good the selection process or how perfect the development and commercialisation of the product, sometimes all that is needed is time for the product to come into its own.

A good example is the electric car. In the early 20th century the electric car scored highly on measurements such technical superiority and environmental friendliness and in New York fleets of electric taxis carried passengers across the city. At the time the internal combustion engine was cranky and unreliable yet it eventually usurped it’s rival (Franklin, 2003). The prospect of diminishing and high oil prices and environmental concerns are resulting in the return of the electric car.

The time factor is one of the elements of the S-curve – a model for determining the impediments that a product may face on its route to commercial success.

These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com

As an airline pilot, I’ve developed a list of sleep tips.

That’s because I must spend many nights in hotel rooms and I must always be well rested when flying.

Many of these travel rest tips can also improve your sleep at home.

In addition to these great travel rest tips, there are some key travel accessories that I use to assure a great night sleep. They help while recovering from jet lag or sleeping at unusual hours, even in the noisiest locations.

The main reasons people have trouble sleeping well in hotel rooms are:

* Noise

* Light

* Temperature and humidity

* Uncomfortable pillows

* Uncomfortable bed

* Recovering from jet lag

* Being in a strange place

* Hunger

* Not employing sleep strategies

#1- Dealing with Noise

Noise can be the greatest hindrance to travel rest. The good news is there is quite a bit you can do about noise to get some good hotel rest.

Getting a good night’s sleep in your hotel room begins as you drive up to your hotel.

Pay attention to potential noise sources near the hotel.

When you check in, before they give you your room assignment, specifically ask for a “quite room”. If the highway or airport is on one side of the hotel, mention that and ask for a room on the other side of the building.

When I arrive outside my room, I pause and survey the area for potential noise sources.

If my room is in a bad location, I don’t even enter the room. I just head back down to the desk and politely ask for a room in a more quiet location.

The only way to guarantee good travel rest in a noisy place is with a white noise machine.

If I were to give you only one sleep tip, it would be to get a white noise machine. It is a must-have travel accessory.

A white noise machine allows you to sleep in noisy places by producing background noise. This background noise doesn’t register to your mind, and masks the noises that disturb sleep.

#2- Dealing with Light

Hotel room curtains rarely close completely. Use some clothespins to clip the curtains together.

The other thing that will help you sleep in a room that has light is a good sleep mask.

#3- Dealing with Temperature Changes

It’s wise to get the temperature adjusted as soon as you get to your room. That’s because if you wait until you go to bed, it’s likely that you’ll awaken because you’re either too hot or too cold.

Sometimes hotel air conditioners make noisy clunking sounds when they cycle on and off. If you have a white noise machine, that’s usually not a problem. If you don’t, you might try to get a quieter room.

#4- Dealing with Uncomfortable Pillows

One of the hardest parts of adjusting to a different bed is not really the bed itself. It’s the pillows. The pillows at the hotel are rarely like what you are used to at home.

There is a fantastic solution to this that’s made a huge difference to me. You can get a small, memory foam travel pillow that gives you a consistent pillow wherever you sleep.

#5- Dealing with Uncomfortable Beds

This is also something that you want to figure out as soon as you get to your room. Not when it’s late, you’re tired, all ready for bed and when there are no more rooms available.

As soon as I get into my room, I sit and lie down on the bed to make sure that it is comfortable. If it’s not, I head back sown to the front desk and ask if they have any rooms with newer beds.

#6- If You’re Recovering From Jet Lag. This is a major factor after long east/west flights.

It is an extensive subject that I have written quite a bit about. You can find strategies for jet lag on my site.

#7- Make sure that you’re satisfied with the Room cleanliness.

Whether it’s perceived of a reality, if you think that the room or bed you are sleeping in isn’t clean, it will affect your sleep. This is especially true if you think the bedding isn’t clean.

You can easily bring your own bedding by using a contour travel pillow and dreamsack. Dreamsacks are silk bedding liners that are comfortable lightweight.

#8- Make things just like at home.

Create a routine and environment as close to what you are accustomed to as possible.

Make sure that your room reflects your smoking preferences.

Develop and practice a regular pre-sleep routine. Studies have shown that you can teach your body and mind that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep. If you do this at home as well as while traveling, you’ll likely fall asleep more easily.

Keep your sleep time sacred and minimize other responsibilities before trying to go to bed. You should avoid worrying or working in your bedroom.

#9- Manage your Hunger.

If you’re hungry before bed, eat a light snack. Otherwise, your hunger can delay your falling asleep.

Having some snacks available in your hotel room requires some advanced planning, unless the mini-bar prices don’t bother you.

Don’t eat a heavy meal before bed. This will disrupt your sleep because your stomach will be busy digesting your food.

Here are some snacks that travel well: dried fruit, nuts, power or granola bars.

If you’re thirsty before bedtime, drink a small quantity of water.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine for several hours before bed.

#10- Don’t watch the clock.

Turn the clock around so you can’t see it. If you’re having trouble sleeping, your awareness of the time and your thoughts of how late it is or how soon you have to get up will only make it harder to sleep.

Make sure that you have multiple alarms set, and then don’t worry about over-sleeping. I usually get a wake-up call, set the room clock and also my travel clock.

If you can’t fall asleep within about 30 minutes, don’t keep lying in bed trying to fall asleep. Instead, get up and do an activity that will help you relax.

#11- General

Studies have shown that there are two main lifestyle habits that can promote good sleep:

Exercise Regularly. This will help you sleep better, but it is important not to exercise too close to bedtime. Otherwise you body won’t cool down and relax in time for you to fall asleep.

Eat a balanced diet. This will help your overall health as well as improve your sleep.

That’s just a brief overview. I highly recommend that you read my complete sleep tips article before you go on your next trip. Print it and take it with you.

If you visit my web site, you will also find extensive reviews of the travel accessories mentioned in this article.

Copyright 2005 by Ph.Developments USA, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot Paul M. is a captain at a major U.S. airline. He also hosts http://www.Pilot-Pauls-Travel-Accessories.com where an airline captain helps you with your travel needs.

If you would like to learn more travel tips, see travel accessory reviews and recommendations, learn insider’s secrets, find travel discounts, or receive our FREE newsletter click on the link below:

Click here for Pilot Paul’s Travel Accessories

Thanks and have a great trip!

Pilot Paul M.

Repeated visitors and customers are your gold mine. You need do a great job to keep them come back to your site, bookmark your site, even refer your site to other people. Here are a few tips for your reference.

1. Polls

Hold an interactive poll on your web site. Ask visitors a poll question. Have them e-mail their vote or opinion. People love to give their 2 cents worth. They would also like to read the results the next day or week on your web site.

2. Prize Drawings

Hold an ongoing prize drawing on your web site. The prizes should be something of interest or value to your subscribers. Most people who enter will continually revisit your web site to get the results.

3. Original Content

Give your visitors content they can’t read anywhere else. I’m not saying all your content has to be 100% original, but a portion of your web site should have original information. People will usually read information they haven’t read before.

4. Quizes Give your visitors a quiz or a series of trivia questions. Post the correct answers weekly on your web site. The people who participate will want to come back to your site to see if they were right.

5. News Supply news stories related to your web site topic. People want current and up-to-date news. If you can be their first source, they will become repeat visitors to your web site.

6. Jokes

Give your visitors a little humor now and then. Don’t be so serious; tell them a joke. If they associate your web site with being happy they will visit again and again.

7. Free Stuff People love to get free stuff. List free stuff on your web site. It could be software, services, sample products, e-books etc. The freebies should be related to your web site topic. Keep the freebies coming and your visitors will return regulary.

8. Directories

Tell your subscribers about Web sites related to your web site topic. The web sites should be interesting and helpful. Become your readers web site directory and they will come back.

In order to get a job well done, you need do extensive research and gather information. Then give customers the good ones. Your work will be rewarded in the long term.

———————————————————
Julia Tang publishes “Smart Online Business Tips”, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you. To find out the best online business opportunities,
to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
———————————————————-

Knowing the reasons of why you want to quit is an important fist step. Being clear about your reasons, can be a very powerful tool. You have probably seen many articles, telling you how to quit smoking, but without a proper motivation, they are useless. That is why instead of telling you what to do, I will tell you why you should do it and after that, it will be up to you to find the right way.

These are the 4 reasons of why you should quit smoking.

1. it kills
2. it harms people around you
3. it makes you age quicker
4. it is expensive

1. Smoking Kills.

Did you know?
-Each year, smoking kills 5 million people worldwide.

These are some dangerous chemicals that can be found in cigarettes:

Nicotine
Nicotine is a stimulant drug. Like any drug, nicotine can be very addictive. Nicotine inhalation stimulates the central nervous system, making a person more relaxed and less sensitive to pain, but in large doses nicotine acts as a depressant. One drop of nicotine can kill a horse.

Tar
Tar transports chemicals to your bloodstream. Tar gets collected in your lungs and also, stains your teeth. Tar has proven to be the major cause of lung cancer.

Acetone
Acetone is an extremely dangerous substance, it can be found in nail polish removers. Acetone is also used to make fibers, plastic, drugs and other chemicals.
A long-term exposure to acetone can cause kidney and liver damage.

Mercury
Mercury is a chemical element, also called “quicksilver”. Mercury is a toxin, easily absorbed through the skin; it attacks the central nervous system, also Mercury affects gums and teeth. A long-term exposure to this chemical, can cause brain damage and death.

2. Smoking Harms People around You.

Your smoking can harm others. None-smokers, exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of many health problems related to direct smoking.

Did you know?
- When you smoke in public, people around you could experience: dizziness, nausea, headaches, sore throat and eye irritation.
- Passive smokers have an extremely high risk of heart disease and lung cancer.
- Each year, 20% of people dying from lung cancer worldwide, are passive smokers.
- Children of smokers have a 70% increased risk of respiratory illnesses and middle ear infection.

3. Smoking Makes You Age Quicker.

Smoking makes you look older by narrowing the small blood vessels in your skin. Your skin loses its elasticity and shininess; instead, it will look dry, old and wrinkled.

4. Smoking is Expensive

Not only does smoking damage your health, it is also expensive. Depending on where you live, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day can cost you up to $4000 dollars a year. It is a lot of money that you could spend on something more important in your life. If you think, that $4000 a year is a lot, try to calculate, how much drugs and medical care services would cost you, to get rid of all of the side-effects and illnesses caused by smoking.

So, to sum it up:
Smoking kills you, harms people around you, makes you age quicker and costs a lot of money.

WellnessWorx.net markets quality, weight-management, nutrition and personal health care products created by WellnessPro leading industry experts. Weight-loss can be a pleasure!
WellnessPro Balanced Nutrition

How would you go about terra forming another planet? Well you could send microbes to start organic life. Of course it will take 4 billion years to do it judging from our knowledge of our planet.

What if we could send microbes to terra form another planet by sending them on light beams or the DNA or RNA components to make bacteria on sequences on a light beam? What if we sent this light beam back thru time? Anyway if you figured out what was on a planet you could in fact terra form it in the past by sending these microbes back in time (4 billion years) and then they would grow and eat themselves to death, but start all sorts of life, then die and be buried over a billion years, turn into oil and then when you get there, you have plant life, oil reserves and humidity, meaning water, atmosphere and abundance of life.

We have found in lakes in California an extremophile microbe thriving in arsenic saturated mud on Earth. They eat the arsenic and can’t live without it. Doesn’t this kind of point to life on other planets, as it seems to survive everywhere on Earth right? Well, of course, absolutely, glad to see you are not in denial like all the religious fundamentalist radicals, who are often very close-minded. There is no doubt that there is every type of life you can imagine including the one in which a whole planet alive, perhaps a giant dead collapsed sun, or a giant planet over ridden by life. Why not, with all the trillions of places, surely it exists. Some here, some there, some everywhere, some we do not have here, exists elsewhere, some of what is there, may exist here also.

The Universe and everything in it has life and it is everywhere. There is life on Mars, Venus, Pluto and Alpha Centari, you name it, there are different types of life everywhere. And our actions can cause life or kill life on other planets, modify their eco-systems or end up destroying them, so we need to pay attention and proceed with caution, but we should not eliminate our possibilities, without knowing the technologies, which we will soon possess in the near future. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The National Market

The latest report on third-quarter home prices, released in November by the National Association of Realtors, showed continued strength. But increasingly there are signs that prices have reached a plateau.

Of 147 markets tracked, 69 had gains from a year ago of more than 10 percent — only six metro areas experienced declines.

But from the second quarter to the third quarter, the national median home price rose to $215,900, up just 3.8 percent. That contrasts with a 10.4 percent jump in the prior quarter.

And more and more leading indicators are pointing to a slowdown.

In Boston, real-estate investor Matthew Martinez reports recently having spoken to five condo converters. “They all said the party was over,” Martinez said.

In Florida, Elena Filipa, vice president of the Corcoron Group in West Palm, said “We’ve leveled off. I would say prices will go up this year, but not as fast as they have.”

None of this surprises the many economists who have been waiting for a downturn.

Richard DeKaser, chief economist for mortgage banker National City, has been reluctant to call the top, but thinks it has finally passed.

“We’re coming down the other side of the mountain,” said DeKaser.

The signs include:

Builder pessimism The builders DeKaser surveys are less optimistic than they were even a few months ago. Separately, one leading builder, Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers, announced last week that expected demand for 2006 would be down, resulting in moderating price increases and fewer sales.

New-home sales declining DeKaser also notes that the number of new homes sold have fallen sharply since peaking in July at an annual rate of 1.3 million units.

DeKaser calls new-home sales (rather than existing-home sales) the canary in the coal mine. “Developers tend to be more sensitive to market conditions,” he said. They have cash flow issues, payrolls, and loans that put more pressure on them to sell.

Ordinary home sellers are often more selective than developers, even taking properties off the market if they don’t get the price they want. Developers have to drop prices to move inventory.

Inventories rising Supplies of new homes are way up, to nearly 500,000 units, from 350,000 a few months ago. “That’s an all-time high for new homes,” says DeKaser. The higher the inventory, the more likely prices will fall.

Sell times are up Houses are sitting on the market longer. New homes now take about 4.1 months to sell and existing homes 4.7; both figures are up substantially.

What to expect

In a recent survey, NAR members say they predict home prices to rise only 5 percent in the next 12 months. Nearly half of the realtors predict prices will rise less than five percent and 6.4 percent actually expect prices to fall.

“You can’t expect double-digit price increases to go on forever,” said Walter Molony, spokesman for NAR. “We’re seeing a market in transition in which there’ll be an easing of price increases in the future.”

While DeKaser expects a slowdown, he predicts an “orderly transition” for the most part, with some exceptions. “There will be busts in some markets,” he said. “Mostly, we’ll come out of it unscathed.”

For the most part, DeKaser doesn’t envision losses on that scale. He thinks home prices will decline 1.7 percent during the fourth quarter of 2005 and stay almost flat all the way through 2007.

But history shows that some over-valued markets could fare much worse.

Molony points out that the most severe drops in real-estate prices are usually triggered by an underlying economic crisis. After oil prices went into a six-year decline in the late 1970s, housing prices in oil cities experienced steep drops.

In Oklahoma City, prices plummeted 26 percent in real dollars from 1983 to 1988. With inflation, the “real” loss was more than 40 percent.

Houses in many oil patch cities are worth less in real dollars than they cost more than 20 years ago.

Written for http://www.e-realestatelicense.com
By James Christensen
Real Estate Expert and educator. Our training site http://www.e-realestatelicense.com offers a valuable service to individuals looking to get into the Real Estate industry.

Have you been turned down for a home loan recently because you have a bad credit history? You may want to consider applying for home financing with a subprime mortgage lender. A subprime mortgage lender is one who specializes in providing financing for people who are difficult for most mortgage companies to finances, it could be because of a low credit score, hard-to-prove income or a combination of those factors with no money to put down.

It can be much easier to get approved for a loan through a subprime lender than with other mortgage loan programs offered by banks and credit unions. The only downside to a subprime loan is that the fees can be higher at closing and the interest rate will be higher. It is smart to apply with a few subprime lenders to compare interest rates. Yes, you will have to pay a higher rate, but make sure the rate is still reasonable. Interest rates are low right now, take advantage of that and get a rate that is reasonable.

Also, remember that you can always refinance later at a lower interest rate when your credit score has improved. Just make sure that there isn’t a pre-payment penalty on the loan before you plan to refinance. Most subprime mortgage loans do have a 6 month to 2-3 year pre-payment penalty, meaning that you have to pay a large fee, usually 6 months worth of interest, before you can pay off or refinance the loan. You can expect to have a pre-payment penalty, just make sure you get the shortest amount of time you can before you can pay it off.

Consider applying with a company that will provide you with multiple offers, that will help you be sure you are getting the best interest rate and one of the top subprime mortgage brokers.

To view our list of recommended subprime mortgage companies online, visit
this page: Recommended Subprime Mortgage Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

London City these days is by a long way one of the most beloved cities to visit in the world. What holiday-makers require in a hotel is unquestionably going to be incredibly different from what a common London resident would certainly look for. Currently there are several diverse variety of hotels around. As a result you would be suggested to think a great deal in regards to what you are wanting for in a hotel. This is a very individual opinion & with the many different selections on hand currently it can unquestionable be a hard verdict to make.

Modern, traditional, funky, are you looking to be well treated, have afternoon tea somewhere superb or simply have one or two nights to take it easy in opulence rooms.

A few of the more customary hotels are the oldest and grandest in London & has to be noted that they are typically occupied with a particular type of clientele, you are not in fact going to sleep here if you are with your kids or relations. The Ritz, Savoy and Claridges are simply only a few of the hotels that have been working ever since Victorian days. They have all been modernised since then nevertheless still hold lots of their original virtues & features. There are not many hotels in the world today that give this brand of opulence, individuals come from all over the earth to stop at these hotels and the workers make certain that the holidaymakers time here is unquestionably worth the while. Find the best offers on London’s Hotels http://www.timeout.com/london/hotels.

With the City of late being a trendy city to take a weekend break it makes obvious sense that they have trendy hotels to go together. Elite hotels are becoming more and more popular & offer a unique type of hotel accommodation than perhaps your more traditional accommodation would offer. If you are trying to locate some of the greatest then go to areas such as Knightsbridge, Notting Hill & Soho & you are expected to find specifically what you are searching for. Both the Soho Hotel and St Martin Lane Hotel are several of the finest hotels in the Capital.

Irene Watson, Publishing Editor of Reader Views, is pleased to have as our guest, Valerie Hart, author of “The Bounty of Central Florida.”

Hi Valerie, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Irene: Valerie, why do you feel “The Bounty of Central Florida” was an important book for you to write? What objectives did you have?

Valerie: Regional cookbooks have flooded the market. Southwestern, Northwestern, Cuban, Caribbean, Cajun and combinations of these including America’s innovation called Fusion that incorporates Asian with any of the others highlight regions and the new creative chefs who are incorporating the fresh ingredients of the areas.

When we moved from Miami to Central Florida 15 years ago, the cuisine changed drastically. Aside from local Italian eateries that featured heavy tomato-based Sicilian cookery, and a smattering of Mexican catering to the migrant workers in this citrus area, mama-papa restaurants north of Orlando served up a unique cuisine of their very own. This was based on their roots of southern America with a rustic edge of accessible fish and game simply grilled or fried and accompanied by fruits and vegetables freshly plucked from the trees and earth.

Every spring-fed lake yields bass. The larger lakes are inundated with alligators and tilapia. The St. John’s brackish river is rich with blue crab and shrimp, and its tributaries are filled with redfish, bass and snook. The wood ducks seem to exist solely for the pleasure of the pan, and, just a bit south in Osceola County, wild turkeys and venison breed bundantly for the happy hunters. And, as in the rest of the south, barbecue reigns supreme with Central Florida’s own renditions of sweet, spicy and mustard based sauces slathered over slow smoked gigantic pork ribs.

My objective, as food writer for The Daily Commercial, was to make people aware of the bounty of the area.

Irene: What challenges did you have while writing this book and how did you overcome them?

Valerie: The challenges were delightful. My many trips up the St. John’s River with the antique boaters brought me into direct contact with the people who live and derive their livelihood from the creeks of the intercostals waterways. My membership and association with the NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) not only taught me how to fry a whole turkey, but instilled respect for this dedicated group of conservationists who teach women survival in the wilderness as responsible gun control to children.

The most difficult challenge, however, was writing the book while being faced with Monday’s deadline of writing my Thursday’s newspaper column and teaching cooking at the shelter for the homeless. There just wasn’t time to do it all, and I was spending more and more hours creating recipes late
at night and opening my computer to record them before the sun came up.

Irene: Are the recipes your own creation? Have some of them been passed down through the family to you?

Valerie: The recipes are my own, derived from my sense of taste and smell and desire to create. My background of education in France, (later, Cordon Bleu courses after I had begun to teach cooking in Miami), and our 30 year business in Italy, where we had an apartment in Florence and traveled extensively through northern Italy, brought me into contact with a multitude
of country chefs and “nonnas” (Italian grandmothers) in home kitchens who shared “secrets” passed down through the generations.

Irene: How did you get into cooking? Did you cook as a child? Where did you learn to cook? Do you have any funny stories while learning to cook that you can relate to?

Valerie: I would love to say that I learned to cook from my Mother and Grandmother but, fortunately, this is not true. My Mother and Grandmother had absolutely no talent in the kitchen, probably because they always cook to do it for them. The only foods my Mother knew how to cook were roast beef, turkey and broiled lamb chops. Those were the days when all the fat was left on to singe into a crust. We not only ate the top fat on the beef and between the bones of the chops; we relished it. And, the trick was to eat the turkey and beef before the gravy poured over it congealed into a hard, white mass.

We had a German cook for many years. My parents traveled extensively, leaving me in her care. The kitchen was a sensual wonderland of chocolate and pastry cream and veal that she delicately dipped into beaten eggs and then into homemade bread crumbs before frying to a golden brown delicacy she called Wiener Schnitzel that she served with fried potatoes and buttery noodles. Elizabeth never used an electric mixer, but beat butter and sugar and egg whites by hand to make her 6 layer German Doboschtorte, rich chocolate Viennese Sachartorte and Hungarian Caramel Cake. She was my first culinary mentor, and her recipes appear in my first cookbook, The New
Tradition Cookbook.

Irene: I note in your bio you aspired to be an opera singer but ended up in the food writing career and then in a cooking career. Are there times that you would like to turn back the pages and pursue a career as a singer?

Valerie: Sometimes, although my life would have been very different. I shall forever remember studying under the great André Bogé on the stage of the Paris Grand Opéra. I obviously did not have enough ambition, or perhaps realized I did not have the voice destined for greatness.

Irene: Do you have a favorite recipe from this book? Why?

Valerie: Guests and family who dine with us usually request that I prepare the Key Lime Cheesecake or Flourless Individual Chocolate Soufflés for dessert. My duckling is the children’s favorite and I will offer 2-3 sauce variations for their pleasure. I really love the Butternut Squash Soup and
refreshing Strawberry Salad. I make dozens of Mushroom Roll hors d’oeuvre and dessert Profiteroles to freeze for unexpected company and, because our lime trees are so prolific, you will always find a frozen Lime Pie.

Irene: This is a second cookbook for you. Your first was The New Tradition Cookbook which was published in 1988. What did you learn after writing the first one that you changed in your second book, The Bounty of Central Florida?

Valerie: My first cookbook was written as a result of my years as the food writer for the newspaper on Miami Beach and the luncheon restaurant I had for 15 years at my husband’s wholesale furniture showroom, Imports for the Trade. The restaurant was my test kitchen. We did not sell the food but, rather, offered it to designers and their clients as one would in one’s home. The buffet that changed daily became so popular that people lined up around the block. We served over 100 people each day in the restaurant we built within the showroom with bricks from the old Union Station in Chicago that had been torn down.

Although most of the format of the first book was based on American cooking and my rendition of French and Italian cooking, the marvelous ethnicity of Miami Beach allowed me to discover recipes for Matzo Balls, Geflte Fish, Stuffed Cabbage, Brisket of Beef and Potato Pancakes that I featured in the newspaper during the Jewish holidays. I would go down to what has become the “in” area now known as “SoBe” which, during the late ’60s and ’70s was still populated solely by the elderly Jewish. I would approach the ladies who were shopping. Each one had a different recipe for the same dish, and each thought hers was the best. I would then go home and experiment and test and test again until the combination of ingredients was to my liking. Then I would write my food column.

The common denominator of the two books is my belief that people like to read about exquisite cuisine but want to cook and eat basic food.

Irene: What are you hoping comes out of this cookbook experience for you? Are you planning on writing another one?

Valerie: I do not know if I will ever write another cookbook, but I have so many recipes that do not appear in the first two that I am tempted. Anyone who cooks knows that there is always a new and different method of preparation to please the palate. There is never a last chapter to cooking.

Irene: Thank you Valerie. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your cookbook or your experience?

Valerie: I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to express myself. This is the first time I have been asked these questions and the interview has been most enjoyable.

Irene Watson is the Publishing Editor of Reader Views, an online book review service. http://www.readerviews.com She is also the author of her memoir, “The Sitting Swing.”