Restaurant Startup Information

I have what I think is a great idea — a restaurant that specializes in salads to cater to the lunch crowd. I’d love to open a restaurant, but I have no experience outside of a fast food job I got fired from. Is it possible to start a successful restaurant with no experience, or is this just a pipe dream?

It’s possible to do anything, if you invest your time in it. To understand some of the permits and licenses you’ll need alongside with federal requirements, check out the link provided. Since each state is different, it would be best to contact your state to see what you’ll need to clear your business for launch.

The next part is to get your business started, which costs money. If you think about it, you’ll have to buy or rent the building your business will operate out of, provide all of the things needed in a salad bar (tables, seats, chillers, etc…), along with paying taxes, employee salary, and purchasing the food from some sort of vendor. It’s a long laundry list of stuff, but you can see that to make money, you must first spend that money.

How you go about getting that money to start up is usually done in two ways; either through an Investor(s) or through a loan. An investor is someone that is going to invest money in you to get your business set up and running. This can be a family member, friend, or even a private investor. The other way is through a loan, which you’ll be responsible for paying back over time, just like college loans or credit cards.

If you happen to get the money to start up your business, and you’ve cleared everything with the state and the government, you’re pretty much set. Again, you’ll need to purchase or rent available space to have a building to operate out of and purchase all of the things to put into this building which will be your salad bar. You’ll obviously need to hire employees and create a staff to operate and maintain your business. Also, you’ll probably want to have somebody to cover you legally and someone to help you keep up on your taxes, finances, spending, earnings, etc…

Most small businesses fail within the first year. I don’t say this to scare you but more to encourage and enlighten you. Don’t be afraid to try something, even if others don’t understand it.
Starting up a small business can be fun but you also should do some research to find out more about the industry you’re getting into. You don’t have to have experience to do any of this, but it generally might help if you had some unique and interesting ideas, especially when you’re proposing your business idea to a potential investor.

This isn’t everything of course, there are plenty of other things that didn’t get covered here. I would suggest you do more research on it yourself, so you learn at your own pace. I hope this helped, remember to check out the link below.

Remember, if you really put the time and effort into this, it’s possible. Best of luck.

You’ve tried everything and still can’t get her in the mood? Not to worry. In my duty to provide men with the most accurate information on female sexuality, I decided to conduct a nation wide survey.

Okay, it wasn’t exactly a nation-wide survey. I contacted my female friends (most are straight) and asked them, “What truly turns you on?” So now you’re privy to all their naughtiest secrets.

Below you’ll find the sexiest secrets ever revealed on what gets us hot and oh so horny! Use these tips tonight to get her juices flowing!

1. Give Her Sexy Thoughts

According to the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, researcher Rosemary Basson, MD concludes that women must convince themselves to want sex before their sexual desire kicks in. Many women agree, including myself. Arousal starts first in the mind. Give your woman sexy thoughts throughout the day to stir her sexual desire. Send her sexy text messages or emails while she’s at work. Include little reminders from when you had great sex. Tell her what you want to do to her once she gets home. If your hesitant and are afraid she’ll be offended, start off with a fun flirty text message. My personal favorites are from www.lingo2word.com. There you’ll find hot text messages such as “I love every bone in your body, including mine!” These sexy messages are just what I need to start thinking about sex and becoming aroused throughout my day.

When I get home, I’m so fired up, I jump on my husband! -Susan, NY.

2. Massage for the Booty

For most massage is a solution to stress, for women it’s soo much more; it’s an invitation to sex. Unlike a man’s sex drive which can withstand a lot of outside influences, a women’s sex drive is severely affected by factors like stress and anxiety.

As a women with a lot on my plate (work, kids, husband) my sex drive was at an all time low. In fact, it was to the point that my husband basically gave up trying. One night, I came home with a body ache and asked my husband to give me a massage. Little did we know we were going to be in for a treat!

As my body relaxed and my mind began to drift from stressful thoughts, I began to enjoy how great it felt to be touched. Because there was no pressure for sex, I was able to let my guard down. One thing led to another and soon enough we were both experiencing the hottest steamiest sex ever!

What did it for me was his incredible ass massage. The extra attention to groping, rubbing, and squeezing my ass, got my blood flowing in all the right places. It was just what a needed to experience an intense orgasm later. - Marisa, CT

3. Come Home Dirty and Sweaty

Believe it or not, women love rugged looking men. There’s something secretly sexy about dirty men. Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, and Russel Crowe for instance, are irresistible to women because of their renegade appearance. Not only that, the scent of sweat is an aphrodisiac to women.

According to James V. Kohl, coauthor of “The Scent of Eros,” women are led by their sense of smell when it comes to sexual attraction. They are especially receptive at detecting pheromones, a special aromatic chemical released by humans to sexually attract one another. Another study, conducted by Bern University known as the “Stinky T-shirt Study” concluded that women were attracted to the pheromone chemicals left behind by men’s sweat.

What does this mean? Let yourself get a little dirty and scruffy for your women. Fix her car with your shirt off or get hot and sweaty over a game of basketball. Either way the scent of sweat and the salty taste of your skin will drive her wild!

I’ll never forget the first time I saw my boyfriend sweaty and scruffy; it was just the right opportunity to let him know I can get down and dirty too! - Jessica, FL

4. Talk Dirty

Talking dirty was once intimidating to me, now it’s essential to my sex life. In the past, my girlfriend’s competed with one another about which boyfriend said the freakiest thing during sex. I use to be very jealous and wished my sex life was as exciting as theirs. One day, I asked them how they became comfortable with talking dirty and how it was introduced in their relationship. Based on their advice, here’s what worked for me and what I suggest for couples.

First, fantasize about having sex with your partner and talking dirty to them. Soon enough, your thoughts will be expressed out loud. Start out by describing what feels good during sex. For example, you can say, “I love the way your… feels in my…” Describe what movements feel good to your body or what you’re going to do to your partner. If your at a loss for words, research sexy erotica novels for a list of words. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to talk dirty. Don’t try to imitate movies; be yourself. This will be more comfortable for the both of you. Once you have the right environment to talk dirty, sex is exciting and extremely passionate.

Now, all my girlfriends are jealous of my sex life! - Carolina, SC

5. Listen to Reggaeton

I’m from Puerto Rico, the home of Reggaeton, a new genre of music also hitting the United States. Reggaeton is a mix of Latin reggae and rap. The lyrics and rhythm of reggaeton songs are extremely sexual and erotic. The artists in these songs describe candidly what they want to do to women. Lyrics such as, “Te suelto el pelo, te quito la camisa, tu pantalón y después, te como completa,” describe a scene where a man unties his woman’s hair, takes off her shirt, her pants, and performs oral sex on her. Men should play reggaeton during sex to unleash wild fantasies in a woman’s mind.

Listening to reggaeton stimulates erotic scenes to play out in my mind. I’m left fantasizing about freaky wild sex and become very horny. Even if you’re not Latin and don’t understand the language, bringing a foreign element to the scene such as this is highly erotic to women. After all, Spanish is the language of love! - Raquel, PR

6. Play with Sex Dice

What truly turns me on is sex dice. If you haven’t heard, sex dice is a set of regular dice but with sexual content on each face. For instance, there are sets that have one dice describing action words such as “lick, touch, tickle,” and the other dice naming body parts such as “ass, tits, and lips.” Sex dice come in many variations. There are some that describe a sexual position and a location to perform the act. Others are solely used for anal sex or oral sex. The list is endless. I personally own a set of just about each sex dice out there. I use them with my partners whenever I want to spice up the night. First, I’ll start off slow and use a soft core sex dice. Then, as the night gets steamy, I bring out the freakier sex dice until we’re engaging in the wildest sex ever! Since sex dice come in many variations, couples can find the right one for them. Whether your looking for some light fun or new ideas to spice up your sex life, these sex dice work wonders.

Couples can invent their own games, complete with sexual penalties for losing as well! It’s tantalizing fun! – Adele, Paris

7. Use Blindfolds

Focusing on the senses is extremely arousing. Blindfolds are a great way for women to focus on his every touch and for men to learn exactly what pleases his women.

My boyfriend uses this technique to get me oh so horny! First, he gently lays me on the bed , tells me to relax, and close my eyes. He softly wraps the blindfold over my eyes; then begins to caress my skin with his fingertips. Since, my sense of sight is gone, the rest of my senses are heightened. His every touch feels exciting and erotic. He goes on to remove my clothes, one by one and kisses my bare skin as he moves along. I never know what he is going to do next or where he is going to touch. My favorite is when he when he dips his finger in sensitizing oil and strokes the outside of my vagina softly then firmly. This technique is just what it takes for me to beg him to give it to me! I recommend men using this technique as well. Once your fingers land on the right spot, your women will be throbbing with arousal; she’ll beg you for sex! - Ariana, CO

8. Take her Dancing

Many men aren’t aware of the sexuality in dancing. While, romantic dinners can lead to the bedroom there is nothing more arousing than a night out dancing. When women are dancing, they begin to think of their body as sexy and graceful. Their self confidence increases and are no longer shy to expose it later on during the night. Dancing is like an ego booster for women. A woman can let loose, dress sexy, and feel good about herself. Not to mention, the atmosphere in a club, is less intimidating and proper than a fancy restaurant. I’m not saying to skip the fancy restaurant; in fact it’s crucial to show women that they deserve to be treated with respect and class. However, a night of dancing helps jump start the sexual chemistry between two people.

Once you’ve developed a strong bond with one another, she’ll be looking forward to showing you a sneak peak of her wild side. The club is just the right place for it! - Natalia, Moscow

9. Exercise with her

Did you know that working out increases sexual desire in women? A women’s libido, is affected by the amount of testosterone in her body. As she ages, the levels decrease and her libido (her desire for sex) declines. Exercise works to promote testosterone levels in women and thus play a role in stimulating a woman’s libido. So what does this have to do with turning women on?… Everything! After exercise, my mood is lifted; I feel sexy and confident all day. Men should take women on dates which involve physical exercise like bike riding or rollerblading. Her levels of testosterone should increase about 20 minutes into an exercise session, and will remain elevated for one to three hours after exercise. Through out the date, she will feel energized and pumped. As her testosterone levels rise, she will be open for sexual advances. Believe me, it works.

When my boyfriend and I come home after a day at the gym, we’re so amped up; we have sex as soon as we walk through the door! - Becky, MA

10. Lick it

Nothing, absolutely nothing turns a woman on more than oral sex! It’s a definite must. Oral sex is very important to women. In fact, once we find a man who can please us orally, we rarely let him go! Part of the criteria for women in finding the perfect lover is going down south. Women love men who go down because it’s a sign of experience and confidence. This lets us know that a man is not limited in sex and will be able to please us in multiple ways. What’s more arousing is a man that is open to taking direction. If we can mold our perfect oral sex partner, the better! Be open to pleasing your women orally, even if you don’t like the taste. There are plenty of flavored lubes that will make the experience more pleasurable for you. It doesn’t matter if you lack the expertise; books also help with oral sex techniques. The key is commitment to becoming the ultimate oral sex master.

Do whatever it takes; the work definitely pays off! – Savita, Bombay

On a closing note, I hope that I have delivered a better understanding into female sexuality. As you can see, simple things such as sending sexy text messages or letting yourself get scruffed up is all it takes for women to desire sex. It’s not always about technique but about setting up an inviting atmosphere for sex and pleasure. Give these secrets a try and thank me later!

Gabrielle Moore is author and owner of The Female Orgasm Revealed. She also owns the website http://www.femaleorgasmrevealed.com

Gabrielle
http://www.articlesbase.com/sexuality-articles/10-ways-to-turn-her-on-and-enhance-her-orgasm-86617.html

I know there is some old saying to do with the first half of your life you are looked after by your parents and the second half you your life you look after your parents. Well I’ve been looking after my mother my whole life especially on occasions when my father isn’t around and she goes into complete competency melt down. The first time my dad went on a business trip abroad, she managed (and don’t ask me how) to put her hand in the bottom of the lawn mower whilst it was still running. I can still see, and will forever have imprinted in to my brain the moment when she shoved her hand in a sink full of water which instantaneously turned a deep shade of red, a bit like in the movie ‘Jaws’. Duggan women aren’t of a strong stomached nature and on my mother passing out, my sister ran out of the room with the good intension of phoning a family friend from down the road for help, only to pass out on the way due to “sight of blood”. So you are left with nine year old Alice running between relations with wet towels and sugar water trying to revive both. Needless to say I was rewarded on my Dad’s return from Hong Kong with a big bag of Haribo for being ‘daddy’s brave little girl’ and my mother was never allowed to mow the lawn again.

So this gives you an idea of the mental status of Mrs Duggan when embarking on a journey in to the depths of the Caribbean with her least responsible daughter, without the only man in the world that can salvage any situation no mater how dire. I’d like to say I was sympathetic towards this but in honesty if I see weakness in some one I kinda play on it? “You’ve got the passports right?”, “Flight IS from Gatwick not Heathrow right?” etc.. Cruel really, but highly amusing. Anyhow the joke was on me on arriving at Gatwick at 4.30am to find that our 07.55am flight to Havana with Cubana airways was not anywhere to be seen on the board, and after half an hour frantic running around to discover that the plane on which we were meant to be flying on (that was meant to arrive in the UK at 6.20am from Havana) had not even left Cuba yet. Another half an hour later it was revealed that the plane was faulty and another plane was being shipped in from Madrid and due to leave at 2.30pm. Marvellous. Anybody got any great suggestions how to spend 9 hours in Gatwick airport departures? No me either. Reading maybe – well I cleverly packed all my nice easy going books in my main luggage and was carrying only Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, trying to embrace the whole Cuba thing, which is not the easiest read to pass time, believe me. So giving in I bought a puzzler, plugged my ipod in and watched the weird and wonderful existence of the airport departure lounge inhabitant (and it is no wonder they make so many tv shows about them!)

Well the plane didn’t go at 2.30, it went at 4.30 and you’d think maybe after the hell my now extended family of Cubana airways victims had been through, we would be treated like movie stars, pampered with drinks and nibbles, checked on at ever available moment. Well you would think wrong and must be alerted to the fact that the communist regime demands Cubans all work, for more or less the same wage, and are in no danger of losing there jobs…..so where is the incentive to do their job well, especially when surrounded by hundreds of high maintenance tourists?! Anyways the plane had no entertainment, seating was a free for all, the staff were rude to the point of disbelief, there was a fucking annoying group of school kids among which were two blossoming lovers sat in front of me who snogged for the WHOLE 11 hour journey, and, as I had banished any hope of a vegetarian meal, no food. Gosh I sound like my grandma moaning. Still I console myself in the fact that the money spent on the flights went in to the Cuban economy and the not the pocket of that cunt Branson.

Anyways with plenty of time on my hand I though it was about time I tackled the lonely planets guide “A brief history of Cuba”. And so the obsession began…..

Hands up, I knew very little about the Cuban culture/history before I went (“They’re communists, right?”) and generally have no interest in learning about history of places. A few years back I spent a month travelling in Japan with two of my bestest friends, one who was living out there for a few years. We had a great time, however both being History(ish) students I can imagine my “You’ve seen one temple you’ve seen them all, lets go do Karaoke again” mentality grated a bit. I figured I would be the same in Cuba… “yes yes very nice now lets go dance salsa and drink rum!” Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’m getting older and this is what happens, but I’m absolutely fascinated by the whole shebang.

So as I say all I knew was they were communists and that recently some dude called Castro had stepped down. I was concerned that this may cause mayhem and riots but was assured by work colleagues that caribbeaners(?!) are far to busy drinking rum and smoking cigars to get all worked up about stuff, and as long as the yanks stayed away there was unlikely to be any civil unrest (and I would hope that the yanks had f*cked up enough countries in the last few years to stay away, at least until I had got a sun tan).

Reading the guide helped set the scene for me so I jotted down a little summary of events as I saw them:

-Native Cubans all lived happily

-Natives of another Caribbean island arrive, kill all the native Cubans and live happily

-Spanish turn up and fuck things up – killing loads and using the rest for slaves

-400 years later Jose Marti leads a revolution to get freed from the Spaniards and the USA step in last minute and steal the glory

-USA REALLY fuck things up

-A group of rude boys (inc. Castro and Che Guavara) plot to over throw the Americans and some dick Batista, and trampled them freeing Cuban residents giving them the ‘ideal’ existence

-To piss of the US, Russia keep Cuba alive by buying lots of sugar and cigars

- Russia (or I should say the USSR) fucks up (greedy bastards) and Cuba gets screwed over and people are starving

- They start letting in lots of snappy happy tourists (such as myself) to take all their money so they can eat again.

So you can see why I gave up history at the 1st available moment!

Anyways back to the long gruelling flight…..we eventually got off that blasted craft about 1am Cuban time (5am English) due to a rather extended drop off in Holguin, and rushed through visa check and baggage which took us in to arrivals about 2am….

So first thought is will our transfer be there seeing we were meant to arrive at 4pm? On first inspection no, but after half an hour panic we deduced that our company we booked with has two names – how fucking stupid of us! So we taxied off in to Havana praying our hotel had 24hr reception. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of the city on the drive as planned being 3am but at least we were on our way. Getting closer to the hotel I started getting a nauseous feeling which is far too familiar with me now being in a city at night, stemming from a nasty incident in Barcelona a few years back (and yes the story gets more elaborate each time it is told – they had knives you know, did I say knives? I meant guns). So I wasn’t all best pleased when I found out our taxi couldn’t drive down the street our hotel was on and intended to leave us at the end of it. A few pesos (I’ll explain money later) encouraged him to wait while mother dear (entirely unfazed by this) ran up the road to check it was open. Halle-fucking-lujah it was. Almost kissing the cab driver I popped on my backpack and headed up the road to the lovely “Beltran de Santa Cruz” Hotel.

So being greeted with a smile by the receptionist he then blurts out “There is a bit of a problem with your room, the plumbing has broken and we have had to relocate you to another hotel, it is only just 5 minutes round the corner across the square”

What point would you snap? Honestly? I snapped here. “Look buddy, We’ve been up for 30 hours, 13 of these spend in fucking Gatwick airport, 13 on a fucking aeroplane fresh out of Bedrock and the rest in transit between these places, we haven’t eaten, we haven’t changed out underwear, we haven’t cleaned our teeth, and we smell like dead fucking rats and you are trying to tell me that you are going to make 2 poor helpless women lug there baggage across a city unknown to them at 4am in the morning to go to a hotel because you have a fucking plumbing problem?”

At least that is what was being said in my head…what I actually said, in a very weak and feeble whine “Please will you come with us, I’m scared”. And bless his cottons he did.

Eventually my head touched a pillow at 5.30am Cuba time (9.30am English) after dealing with the final disaster of the night that on opening my rucksack I found my suncream had exploded all over my stuff. A perfect start to a holiday wouldn’t you agree? Things could only get better.

I guess maybe I should actually tell you something about my trip instead of my script from “Holidays from hell”.

This was my first and most definitely not last trip to the Caribbean. I think I was about 8 when I bought “100% reggae” and decided that I would spend my honeymoon in Jamaica, so I hope I will again reach these shores, given I can find someone who will marry me. Plus there are so many other places to visit, St Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, Bahamas etc etc…Lets hope this future husband is rich! Cuba, however seems to have something different to the rest and walking out in to the sunny streets of Havana that first morning confirmed this. The Cubana airways big day out suddenly seemed a distant memory. Breath taking architecture ranging from the Spanish colonial style buildings in old Havana, (many completely derelict, but in a funky way!), to neo classical in the vedado district and art deco American influence in central Havana. Diversity that I have never seen in any city, and with the added benefit that unlike most cities they have avoided shoving eyesore 1970s tower blocks dead in the centre of some beautiful area. Any run down ugly buildings just added to the character.

It isn’t a cliché that there are bands playing at every restaurant, on every street corner with people singing and dancing around. Its true, I was there. The first pit stop was at il Patio restaurant in Cathedral square (possibly my favourite mojito of the whole holiday, though there were many and the 1st is bound to taste best!). There was a little 3 piece band playing (guitar, sax and bass) while some nut case woman danced around (mum said she had been there 2 years ago when her and my sister had gone!). They were awesome, I just couldn’t get enough of it! Then this guy from the crowd (Italian I think) just waltzed up, asked to have a go on the sax and just wiped the floor with some improvisation which put anything I ever managed when I played in to a remedial category. That wouldn’t happen anywhere else in the world and the punters went mad for it!

So the first day was mostly spent getting a feel for the place. Walking around getting lost, stopping for mojitos every now and again taking several thousand of photos at every new street at every possible angle. In the afternoon we did (on recommendation by some friends) a ferry trip across to the other side of the water to climb up to a fort (and a MASSIVE statue of Jesus). It was really fun actually as this clearly wasn’t a main tourist attraction and the ferry seemed to be literally the locals bus to and from work. We stuck out like sore thumbs! Also at the top of our little trek we discovered not only amazing views of Havana but also a mini museum of Che Guavara’s house where he lived post revolution and pre him running off to help Bolivia and get himself killed. Here I discovered he had asthma, just like me, which briefly inspired me to go and start a revolution, but I soon got over it.

Food in Cuba is shit, I mean really shit. I don’t actually understand how they can get it so wrong, but they do and especially as a vegetarian we were screwed. You get eggs, lots of eggs, so many eggs that the word is still making me feel physically sick. Mother, having been here before knew all this so had packed a kettle and a big bag of cous cous to help us in dire situations, but had also brilliantly worked out the whereabouts of the only Italian restaurant (possibly in the whole of Cuba) so in Havana at least we managed to get half decent meals! So after munching our way through a big margarita and one more quick mojito we scooted off to bed pretty early, still kinda fucked from the previous days monstrosities.

The second day was one massive lecture on politics and history for me. Though normally this concept would make me shudder with fear and despair, as I said before I’m utterly gripped by the fact that this teeny little spec on the earth’s surface has contributed so much to the history of the human race. We had a bit of fun first though getting a taxi ride to the Plaza de la Revolucion in a classic, bright purple (my favourite!) 1950s Buick with a rather bemused driver being made to pose for many a cheesy snap! The Plaza is kinda bare unfortunately with only 2 things to see. Firstly the Jose Marti memorial statue in front of the massive lookout, which we went up to get some awesome views across the city and watch lots of scary turkey vultures circle around it. And secondly my favourite bit – the huge Che image on the side of the government building with ‘Hasta la Victoria Siempre’ (Forever Onwards Towards Victory) written along side. I have a bit of a Che obsession to be honest, is it weird to think he was hot? Anyways bare as it was it felt pretty cool to be standing where so many political rallies and addresses from Castro and other revolutionaries has taken place.

After this we got a bug taxi (look at pics) to the hotel nationale (very posh!). It was so funny watching so many people turn up in mercs and swish cars and we turn up in a little yellow blob! Here we had a mojito looking out across the water to where we had been the previous day and then set off on quite a bit walk down the sea front where we finally ended up at the Museum of the Revolution. Here contained everything you would ever need to know about Cuba from the dawn of time. At some point it was really quite bizarre how much detail they added – “Here is the spoon Castro used whilst hiding in Argentina” – no joke! But it was fascinating. I won’t bother saying much about it (as I’ve already given you my brief history of Cuba) but one of the highlights was the “Wall of Cretins” thanking various political idiots for their input in causing/consolidating the revolution. They really don’t give a shit who they insult!

The next day we had rather a stressful bus journey (6 hours – 1 toilet stop) to a supposed beautiful, friendly colonial town though on first impressions this didn’t seem to be the case. The bus ride in showed some really quite nasty, run down areas lacking in the Havana charm, and on arrival into the bus station crowds of people were literally being restrained from mobbing us. They were advertising there “casas” – equivalent to hostelling in Cuba is to stay in casas with a Cuban family who cook and provide for you, but it all seemed all to threatening for me. So we jumped in a cab and headed for our hotel ‘Las Cuevas’ (the caves). Any doubts about the next few days in this place were soon dissolved when we saw how lush where we were staying was!! We dumped our luggage and were straight to poolside sampling the local delicacies – mojitos, pina colladas, and rather bizarre red, orange and blue drinks called Trinidad Colonials, which I took a liking to. We managed to befriend a group of locals in no time who were feeding us more rum and nibbles and giving us salsa lessons. I was pretty pro already after my set of classes I went to in my “I’m sad, lonely and desperate and need to learn salsa to meet more sad lonely and desperate people phase”, but I did learn a new step which was nice. Plus got a chance to laugh at my completely uncoordinated mother. Then at about 5pm, in a matter of 3 minutes the sky was covered in thick black clouds and the heavens opened. I’ve never been in a tropical storm before and I just found it absolutely hilarious – the whole area was flooded after 2 mins of rain, yet it is still bloody boiling and people were still dancing and in the pool! I asked my new best friend Tiago how long these storms usually last to which he replied “That is up to St Peter” – can’t argue with that!

For our first full day in Trinidad we got up bright and early and put on our sexy walking gear and headed off into the mountains on a hike with another unfairly beautiful couple from the hotel and our lovely little tour guide Jordan, who kinda sounded like Borat when he talked which was a tad off putting but you got used to it!

The first part was walking through Trinidad centre which was a lot nicer than it had seemed from the bus the day before – lovely and colourful, with people all going about there everyday business or hanging about in there door ways, playing the guitar or selling fresh fruit. The second bit took us across some fields in to the national park in the thick jungle like mountains. We hiked for about two hours ending up eventually at a gorgeous waterfall and water reserve where Cuban kids were jumping in and playing. I abstained as always when is comes to water that may contain living things. Though I did dip my feet in and noticed a huge lobster like nasty thing crawling around on the bottom and concluded that I had made the right decision.

The hike back was not as fun. The midday heat had really hit in and Trinidad town is located on top of a hill and our hotel on top of a hill on that hill and energy levels were most definitely low by the end. Still we had an afternoon once again of cocktails by the pool and salsa dancing so can’t complain! This evening after dinner (hotel buffet slop) we were treated to an Afro-Caribbean traditional show. 4 uber hot black dudes pranced around stage doing crazy things like eating hot coal and picking up tables with their teeth. It was rather erotic and I may have left a little puddle on my seat.

Next day was our last day in Trinidad town as we were heading that evening to the Ancon Peninsula, about 30 mins south of Trinidad on the coast. Still we made the most of the morning in the hotel. It was actually called Las Cuevas for a reason and (as you probably guessed) this is because it was situated above a group of caves. One of which is open for tours during the day and very funkily becomes a night club by night (though we never went to this unfortunately). So my little buddy Tiago took us on a tour of it which was just amazing! Stalagmites and stalactites to your hearts content – could just imaging people salsaing around them! He he!

After this it was a bit more pool but, as seemed to be the pattern here, late afternoon St Peter pissed on us so we decided we may as well transfer to the new place while the weather was crappy. So off we went through town (which at this point resembled a river) and down to the coast for a few days of sunbathing and chilling. Arriving at the place it seemed nice enough but being an all-inclusive had a rather different clientele, namely idiotic, drunk, burnt Brits. Well I only saw one of these to be honest, a 50ish year old fat northerner who was being rude to a bar man, but it just really got me annoyed. I just don’t understand these people who just want to go on holiday to not actually experience anything of the country, treat the staff like slaves, and abuse the unlimited available alcohol. Anyways we checked in and had an explore and felt pretty disappointed to find that the ‘beach’ didn’t actually really exist– well there was a patch of sand but it didn’t extend to the sea. Compared to our last place it just all seemed a bit, well seedy. The sun wasn’t quite back out so we camped at the pool bar and had a few drinks. My mum, sensing that it wasn’t quite perfect, and of a far too sensitive nature decided to drink a few to many pinas and start really getting on my tits by being over enthusiastic about the place “I’m really warming to this place Alice, I’m really warming to it. Yes, I’m definitely warming to this place”…..then declared she wanted to swim in the ocean before dinner. So in a drastic mother/daughter roll reversal I was trying my best to, in the least patronising way possible explain that to throw herself off a small cliff edge to get to the sea when she was pissed as a fart was possibly not the best idea. Needless to say a combination of her being drunk and over emotional, and me still being a bit wound up and beginning to feel a bit ill culminated in us having our only argument of the holiday involving lots of “I’m just an embarrassment to you” and “I’ve booked us a rubbish holiday I bet you wish you were with your friends” comments……not enjoyable. Especially not enjoyable as the me beginning to feel sick actually turned out to be food poisoning and I spent the next 12 hours on the loo simultaneously pissing out of my arsehole and vomiting. Not the highlight of my holiday.

But a new day dawned. Feeling rather weakened from my night in the shitter I abstained from breakfast (if I saw a plate of eggs I don’t know what would have happened) but walking around I suddenly realised what an over reaction the previous day had been. The place was gorgeous. There wasn’t any drunk English people at all – just that one who was only kicking off because they refused to serve him (quite rightly so – the cunt) and even better than that we found the proper beach! A gorgeous little practically deserted beach with a tiny bar behind it and a semi circle of rocks about 100m out where, according to mum, was the best collection of tropical fish she had ever seen. It was perfect for me to whack my ipod on, indulge in a brilliant book (not Hemingway!) and recuperate from my traumatic night, whilst my overly excitable mother swam, and befriended any body who came within 10 feet of us. Much better!

The next day we took advantage of the hotel free bikes and went on a bike ride down through the peninsula. I haven’t been on a bike ride since I was about 10 and after this I just don’t know why?! It was such fun! Admittedly a bike ride surrounded by sea on both sides on a road lined with palm trees is a lot more appealing than cycling down the A413 but it really should be done more often!! We stopped off on the tip of the peninsula where there was a hotel and mum jetted off on a boat trip to do some snorkelling on the reef (I obviously didn’t – I’m not going to go in to my fear of the sea here – you’ll only mock me) and I had a chance to improve on my ‘getting stupid now’ tan (apparently those last 2 years working in suncare hasn’t really changed my opinion on skin cancer).

We had one more morning on the beach after this before our transfer back to Havana which I was actually ready for by this point. Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with being sun tanned but this whole “culture” malarkey had really got to me and I was itching to get back to Havana and learn more! At the end of the day I could get a sun tan in Lanzagrotty if I wanted for a tenth of the price (with the added benefit of picking up a few STIs), and my tan was pretty much perfect by then anyway (if I don’t mind being incredibly arrogant!)

The bus journey back was even more of a fucking nightmare than the way there. 2 hours longer than it should have been, over booked (so people were standing), road closures etc etc. Plus when we got to Havana we were so late that there were no taxis at the bus station to take us to a hotel, and it was bloody raining again! After pretty much every other person on the bus had managed to hail a cab (we need to be more pushy!) we eventually got back to the lovely Beltran and had a gourmet meal of cous cous prepared en suite and settled down to bed ready to make the most of our last day.

The next morning Havana all of a sudden seemed 100 times more amazing than it was when I was there 9 days prior (and it was a pretty amazing then). Just mooching around I suddenly got that horrible “By 5pm this evening this is all going to be over” feeling. And I wasn’t ready for it. Trying not to let it detract, we walked through the beautiful streets of old Havana through cathedral square where we had that first life changing mojito, and on to the sea front where we decided it was time to tackle the hustle and bustle of the markets and buy some pressies and tacky souveniers, a Che Guavara beret being the most important, of course. Then we went on to find firstly a new discovery which was a street which appeared in ALL the paintings of Havana which were on sale in the market. This was a street with a sign hanging down saying “La Bodeguito del Medio” which turned out to be a tiny little bar where Hemingway used to hang out and it seemed many other celebs had been there too as the wall was covered in pictures and signatures. This took us on nicely to our next planned point of call. The Ambos Mundos Hotel, where Hemingway stayed when he was visiting. They have preserved his room exactly how he had it when he stayed and you can look round it. Also the roof of this hotel has a bar so we went up there and whiled away the rest of our afternoon having a few drinks up there, soaking up the city sunshine with fabulous views and lovely company.

On our walk back to the hotel to catch our transfer something occurred to me. These were streets of a capital city and there were people sitting in there doorways nattering, people playing guitars and others dancing and singing around, kids playing baseball, women hanging their washing out there windows. This wouldn’t happen anywhere else, ever. Can you imagine walking through London chatting to people, dancing with them, children playing? I bet 99% of Londoners don’t even know there next door neighbour’s names! And this was communism – everyone equal, everyone working as a team, no greed, no corruption, a real community. And I thought ‘I could do this’ – I could live in an ‘ideal’ world possibly I’d prefer the countryside – where the houses each have a chicken and a plot of land to grow veg. But I could really live like that. I’ve always been against people earning more money than is conceivable doing satanic jobs, effectively only making money by screwing other people over – bankers, lawyers etc. And I’ve been against the situation you are born in to reflecting how far you can make it in life (I know it isn’t meant to be like this but it is). And I love the ideal. Everyone gets the same, provided they work, whatever they do and as a benefit receive a perfect education system, perfect national health service, a perfect everything government run and a complete sense of patriotism. Real patriotism – not just beating up other nation’s football fans patriotism.

I started thinking about England and wondering why I wanted to stay living here. A country where our so called “left wing” prime minister (who apparently is Gordon Brown now, not Tony Blair anymore) spends £2000 of the British tax payers money per year on cleaners for his stupid amount of houses also paid for by the state. And where white trash Vicky Pollards with 10 babies leak money out of the welfare state whilst moaning about the “bloody asians and poles – they come over here taking our jobs and tax money”. They fucking pay tax so why shouldn’t they be entitled to it? I’d rather they got it than the fat arse Keith Millers of the world. It is disgusting really and I don’t want to be a part of it.

But of course Cuba doesn’t have the ideal. The dream is there and I think it probably worked before the eastern block dissolved, but then again if they can’t really support themselves as a single unit then communism fails doesn’t it.

Personally I think one of the major problems as to why things aren’t working as well as they should stems from tourism. Admittedly it saved the country from starvation but it has created no end of issues and seemingly split the people in to two personality types. Type one are mainly the older generation, still very much pro-Castro. These remember and appreciate that they lived well post revolution, pre special period (between the fall of the eastern block and start of tourism), and also appreciate that the tourists saved their arses when things were looking pretty bleak. These people hence treat tourists with gratitude, respect and kindness. The second type, what I’m calling the ‘next’ generation of Cubans, seem to be much more cynical and unsure what they get is really ‘fair’. These people are really quite resentful of tourists often to the point they are just plain rude (turning their backs, shooing away etc). I think the problem is as they are unaware of what life was like before. All they see is these rich idiots, with their snazzy clothes, flash digital cameras and disposable cash to throw about, travelling around seeing all different cultures and places. Everything they can’t have and what they could have if things were different. I suppose it would piss me off.

Another massive problem with letting tourists in is the discrepancy in what people earn depending on whether they work in the tourist industry or not. Money is a bit complex but Cuba has two currencies – local pesos and convertible pesos. Tourists are only eligible to use convertible pesos and each convertible peso is actually worth 10 Cuban pesos. So effectively if I were to go in to a shop and buy a bottle of water – this would cost me say 1cp (around 50p) and a cuban 1p (i.e around 5p). So effectively they are charging tourists ten times for everything which still always seems reasonable to us (2 mojitos tended to be around 5cp – £2.50 – not bad!). This means when you tip someone in a bar, say 1cp – they are getting about £5.00 worth out of it yet it is only costing you 50p. I think this is absolutely genius and I can’t see why other countries haven’t caught on. In Thailand why not charge £5.00 for a meal instead of 50p?! Tourists will still pay £5.00! However the people in tourist industry, with their tips, get much more disposable cash than anyone else which brings about inequality in the people – everything communism isn’t. Take for example the scenario of the hiking trip we did in to the mountains in Trinidad. The cost of this was 7cp each so 14cp in total and seeing as our guide stayed with us from 9am-2pm in the blistering heat enthusiastically talking all the time, we had a 20cp note and told him to keep the change. So he got 6cp – £3 to us, worth £30. This makes you feel great as a tourist. Giving a tip of not that much value to you makes a huge different to the local’s life. In fact their monthly salary is 300p so we actually tipped him a 5th of what he would earn in a month. Crazy really. However you think of all the doctors and teachers etc who slave their arses off and don’t see anything of the sort coming their way. Where is the incentive to work then? This isn’t fair and is where the system really breaks down. You could definitely feel a certain civil unrest and I reckon especially now as Castro has stepped down, big changes are afoot. I guess if you were thinking of going I’d recommend going asap. (Hark at me making political predictions when 2 weeks ago I didn’t even know what communism really meant!)

Anyways enough politics and back to reality. Damn I wish I could but I’m hooked! Six months ago, to spend all my time googling Che Guavara and ‘communism for dummies’ or writing ridiculously long blogs that no-one will read (except maybe Sam – and even he will probably have got bored by now), would have been fine as I had nout better else to do. However right now I do, like revise for these bastard exams, and this new found obsession is greatly reducing the productivity stakes!

All in all the holiday (which is what it was at the end of the day) was a big success. I’d love to go back there and see and do more of it, and like so many places I’ve been I say I will one day. But then I realise that to go back to somewhere I have already been means sacrificing going somewhere new which I can get momentarily obsessed with until the next place…..etc etc.

Alice
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/cubana-na-na-na-na-salsa-415287.html

I have an amazing and innovative restaurant concept. How do I find investors? I can get a business loan for $300,000, but that will not cover my concept for opening costs, let alone first year running costs.
Where do people look for investors, and how do I approach them for partnering? Thank you for your help!

The first thing to do would be to get a business license and a food handler’s card.

Hi,
We’re on the process of a restaurant start up. Our team comprises MBA guys but still we feel experience counts. Before getting in, Could you suggest something (in any aspect from vegetable procurement to food processing) which you don’t want us to learn by mistakes?
Thanks in advance

First, you need to check your state’s regulations on business management, food and alcohol licenses, food and beverage regulations, and you need to figure out exactly you will be paying taxes on.

Second, you need to sit down with an experienced chef that is most likely going to be the head chef in your restaurant. Give him/her ideas about what kind of theme or menu you are going for. From there he will suggest menu items in all fields: appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, pastas, desserts, dessert beverages, etc.

Third, you need to figure out the dimensions of the restaurant, what kind of business and the volume of people you are trying to attract, and allow the state to inspect your restaurant to make sure it complies to restaurant fire code and capacity.

Fourth, build the interior of your restaurant — starting with a strong commercial kitchen. Aesthetics come last. Make sure the restaurants will function according to fire code and then order furniture, decor, and supplies. There is no need to order furniture until you know your fire code and legal capacity.

Fifth, once the menu is finalized and the employee handbooks are complete, hire your staff, decide on uniforms, order your POS (Point of Sale) Systems, and hand out mock schedules to the staff. Management, head chef, cooks, and back-waits (those who run the food and should know the recipes like the back of their hand) should be working together first. Hiring servers, bartenders, hostesses, to-go servers, etc. should be hired next. These individuals go through classes and take tests over the menu, and the classes are taught by the management and the head chef. This entire process should start between 1-2 months before the grand opening of the restaurant. **Don’t forget to decide how much employees should be paid depending on the size and level of dining in your restaurant:
- Management: $40,000+
- Head Chef: $30,000+
- Cook: $10/hr+
- Back-wait: minimum wage + tip outs from servers
- Server: slightly less than minimum wage (~$3/hr) + tips
- Hostess: minimum wage w/chance of raise
- To-Go: minimum wage + tips

Sixth, try a "soft opening." A soft opening is a pre-opening event for colleagues, family, close friends, and food critics. This usually takes place 1-2 days before your restaurant opens to the public. This allows you to make sure that every member of the restaurant knows their exact duties and to make sure that the food is coming out perfectly, and if not perfectly, with very little flaws that can be tweaked before the big day.

Last, PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE. Promote everywhere and ask your ENTIRE staff to promote as well, which isn’t hard to get them to do because they are anxious to make money in a new restaurant. For the first few weeks, offer lots of specials. A few ideas would be offering 1/2 price appetizers if you order certain entrees, discounts on bottles of wine, happy hour, 25% off coupons for returning guests, etc.

Once you get your restaurant running the #1 thing to focus on is consistency. You MUST be consistent with the quality of the food, presentation, and flavor of the food. ALL servers need to use the same methods (use trays for drinks or don’t, unfold napkins for guests or don’t, and so on). Hostesses need to be organized and know which servers can handle double or triple seating and which servers made need help getting drinks or bread.

#1 thing to focus on before starting any of this is to RESEARCH.

I hope this helps! Please feel free to send more questions my way!

**On a side note, you need professional grade equipment, attractive glassware, dinnerware, flatware, table cloths, etc. Try checking out Mission Restaurant Supply for ALL of these items. They are located in Texas, but they ship to anywhere in the country. Most of their larger items, such as dishwashers, commercial refrigerators, freezers, and beverage machines will ship for free. With the holidays coming up, nearly half of their stock in on sale. I have been in the restaurant business for years and I have been faithful to their company because of the great service and prices.

Mission Restaurant Supply
http://www.missionrs.com/

Imagine a world with restaurant quality food in the comfort of your home. Sound impossible? Well it is not! By using free restaurant recipes, you can make great meals any time of the day. There are many great reasons to use these recipes. Some of these reasons add saving money, time, impressing friends and family, on the rise a sense of accomplishment, and so a great deal more!

I’ve kept on using free of charge restaurant recipes for a long tad and I would have to say it is one of the best things I’ve frequently done. No longer do I suffer to wait in the confines of costly restaurants to get a meal. I can shop for all the best foods that I sttink to eat and prepare it for myself and others for tons cheaper! Not only am I saving money, currently is a terrific way to start conversations nearly cooking, and I own discovered that everyone I have cooked for asks me the secrets to my high food! I would as if to take the credit, but I know that the free restaurant recipes I hold been paying off are the keys to my success.

Cooking has always been a passion of mine, but using the step by step recipes makes my sttink of cooking even easier! With the free restaurant recipes, I can cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner and cook fantastic meals with great variety.

With the turning times of higher prices and less time, nothing seems like a better thinking as opposed to using free restaurant recipes. By using these recipes, you will gain a sense of satisfaction, explore new foods with great taste, and be a great chef!

virgilio vallecera
http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/free-restaurant-recipes-750305.html

I would really like to start a small restaurant situated in Colchester.
I have thought about it for about a year but whats stopping me is the lack of experience and knowledge in both business and food.
Also I dont have the money, I know I would have to apply for a loan but im only 18 years old and would be affraid that I would be too young.
Already I have decided on the location, type of food I would serve, aims and objectives in the first year.

What do I need to do next?

I am in the same boat as you. I know that I have no shot at getting a loan, so I have started a few small ventures to try to raise the capital I need for my building.

Starting an internet business is in my opinion, one of the fastest and smartest ways women today can make money. Here are 10 reasons for starting an internet business, and one reason why you shouldn’t!

1. Money. Pure and simple, we all could use a more of it. Whether it’s to get out of debt, build a retirement, or just simply make ends meet. With the right guidance, an internet business can start generating income almost immediately.

2. Family. Let’s face it Moms, a lot of you want to be home with your kids. A work at home job is great for just that reason…unless you have to leave home for appointments, parties, or sales calls. Then you’re right back to babysitters and being away from your kids. An internet business truly lets you run it from home.

3. Self Esteem. Many of us are so busy being Moms, and wives, and community members, we forget to forge something in our lives that reflects our inner selves. Starting (and becoming successful) in your own business can boost your feelings of self worth, and that makes everyone in your life a winner!

4. Community. Our communities that we live in are better off for us having started businesses. It provides good role modeling for our children, provides tax base for necessary programs such as police and fire, and a community where people exhibit pride and hard work is a better place to live for us all. Perhaps you will inspire more women in your community to start a business!

5. Tax Benefits. Most women who start a business at home are going to be able to take large tax deductions for their home business. Less taxes means more money in your pocket, and that’s a good thing!

6. Work at Home Household Savings.Working at home means no expensive wardrobes. The average professional suit for a woman can cost over$150! Can you imagine NOT having to buy expensive work clothes anymore, and how much money a year you can save your families budget? Also, how much do you think a work at home mom uses expensive convenience foods and restaurant take out?

7. Flexibility. Because I work at home, I can arrange my schedule to be available when a child is home sick or heartbroken, for a field trip at school, or to just take a mental health day once in awhile and sit at a park and read. How many bosses would give you the day off to read?

8. Being in charge of your own business means you are no longer at the mercy of layoffs. Don’t get me wrong, a home business can crash too…but at least YOU hold the reins and make the decisions, not someone else.

9. You determine how much you work, and how much you make. No more being paid less than you are worth, no more begging for a raise. If you educate yourself right, you can pretty much combine hard work + persistence=unlimited income.

10. You can sell your business later on down the line…it’s an investment! Build it large enough and successful enough, and many website owners have sold their sites for hundreds of thousands of dollars…and started out knowing very little about building an internet business.

One reason NOT to start an internet business…

DO NOT start a business to please anyone else. There is so much pressure on women today to do it all….many times we feel we are not successful unless we make a lot of money, are perfect moms, never gain a pound…you get the idea. Start a business for you, and your dreams, not to convince the world, or the mother in law, or your next door neighbor…that you can do it all. Running a business is not for everyone, but if you want to follow your dreams, work at home, and make a good income, starting an internet business is a great place to start. Click Below To More Complete Information.

Gagan Kainth
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/why-women-know-these-10-reasons-to-start-their-work-at-home-based-business-online-687340.html

I’m a freshman in college – and at my campus I’m thinking of starting a cafe/restaurant – not anything big – but a place where ppl can enjoy coffee & tea, snacks, etc. – I’m interested in making profit out of this to pay for college.

Thing is I’m not exactly sure how to put my idea into action – how exactly do you start a small restaurant? Can anyone give me specific steps or point me in the right direction?

Are there any websites?

Firstly, if you have no experience in the restaurant business, I’d advise that you work in restaurants for the next six months or so doing everything from bussing tables and washing dishes to waiting tables and cooking if they’ll allow you back there and if you have the skills. This will give you some of the work experience that you’ll need to understand and run a restaurant profitably.
If this is your first business venture, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a business counselor before you do anything especially spend money. I’d call the local office of SCORE (go to http://www.score.org and input your zip code to find the chapter nearest you), the advice is FREE. Ask for someone who has a background in restaurants and they’ll try their best to match you with the right counselor.
The counselor at SCORE will most likely advise you to write a business plan which is very good advice because it will force you to dig out all of the start up details and the costs of starting a restaurant and force you to also understand all of the aspects of this business including the customers you’ll concentrate on (your market ) and how you’ll get them to find out and want to come to your fabulous restaurant.
The location of the restaurant is important but doesn’t make it successful. To prove that all you have to do is walk down a street in your town where there are several nice restaurants all in a row and you’ll find one or two that are empty while the others are very busy. It has to do with menu, ambiance, and your reputation at the beginning and over time.
You also have to have food handling licenses, the right zoning, the right city and county licenses and permits and you have to be skilled at negotiating with your landlord about who’ll stand the cost of the build-out or the changes to the premises to make it ready for your look and feel.
You also have to worry about the normal business planning and management issues related to starting up any business.
Take a look and read some of the articles at:
http://www.ychange.com/small-business-consulting-articles.html
especially the ones about a business plan and starting a business. Also try their Blog and their Bulletin Board.
Hope this helped.

There are a number of restaurants that start business but without undertaking proper marketing strategies. For restaurant branding a professional campaign is required. Only word of mouth about the restaurant service, the quality of food and its ambiance is not enough. For promoting a restaurant business you need proper marketing to increase restaurant sales.

A marketing strategy is also required if you are planning to open a pub. Advertising is always not sufficient for building the reputation of your business. Restaurant marketing, bar and pub marketing are necessary to set up your business and it should not be taken as any redundant activity.

Different marketing techniques, marketing ideas, public relations, media relations, and creative designs are required to build a brand image for your restaurant, pub and bars. You also need to have proper local marketing, Internet marketing and marketing budget.

For restaurant and bar marketing different new marketing ideas are to be adopted. For building brand image and brand loyalty of your eatery, promotions are required inside as well as outside the business venue.

To build the image of your restaurant inside the business venue and for better sales you should take marketing advice from expert, maintain customer database and give emphasis on in-house branding.

For restaurant marketing outside your business venue, you need proper media relations, arrange corporate events, regular product launch and Internet marketing. Adopting sound and effective restaurant and pub marketing strategies, your business will draw more customers.

Giving out discount coupons, discount codes and special offers are surely to bring customers to your restaurant and bars. There are a many people who collect the discount coupons from Sunday newspaper and use them the next time they visit an eatery. This way they can save on their food bills and you get regular visitors.

Promotional discounts are very effective to draw new customers and it is your restaurant service that will tend them to come to your eatery on a regular basis. Competitions and games to win free meals and drinks can also be arranged which are also part of effective promotion for your restaurant.

Guy Holmes
http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-tips-articles/increase-sales-with-restaurant-marketing-609564.html