Holiday Dinnerware set...what do you think?

jcpenney dinnerware sets image

just me

http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=57089&CatID=63751&GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=12889ea&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CmCatId=57089|63611|63751

I am looking for a set I can use for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter...something a little dressier...what do you think?
I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving this year...Im a newlywed and thought it was about time my mom got a break from cooking! Im very excited about it! I figured i could get some pumpkins and paint them silver, kind of an elegant look to go with these...and I have deep red charger plates
Chef: Exactly! Red works for the winter...I could get something lighter for Easter! :-) Chargers and an inexpensive way to change the look of the table

Answer
Very lovely choice and great price too, I think I need to do a little shopping at JcPenney soon.




Happy Holidays and Good luck with hosting your first dinner

Do these dishes go with this dining set?

KimberlyJ

Or are the dishes too country/rustic for the dining set?

Here are the dishes:

http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?ItemID=1301951&ItemTyp=G&GrpTyp=PRD&ShowMenu=T&ShopBy=0&SearchString=dinnerware&RefPage=SearchDepartment.aspx&s4PageSize=15&CmCatId=searchresults&Search1Prod=True

Here is the dining set:

http://www.thefurniture.com/store/LF-708-DR-RTL-SET.htm

Answers to my other question about this dining set were excellent. If you answered that question and have an opinion on this issue, please answer.

Thanks for any help. I haven't bought anything yet. I'm still trying to figure out my style.

Answer
no i think the dishes would go great with the table. but i think you should put a centerpiece in the middle of the table when you get it, like an exotic plant or a beautiful art sculpture. that would be awesome i hope you like my answer .Good Luck

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What can I cook for dinner tomorrow night?

dinner set storage image

feline*lov

Im diabetic type 2. I am now taking Metformin. I want the meds to work well with my body and eat right. Any dinner ideas? Thanks.

Answer
Make a nice simple chili. If you have a special recipe- by all means use that.
I take about 2 lbs of ground beef and add an sliced onion and green pepper.Brown it all and then drain.
I add chili powder to taste and a hint of Cinnamon.Use some season salt and fresh ground pepper.
Add two large cans of crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. You can add diced tomatoes if you like too.
Add a can if kidney beans and black beans.Add any other beans you like.
Bring back up to a simmer and add some frozen or canned corn.
In about an hour you are all set.
I serve it with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced scallions.
Enjoy for a day or so then put the rest into shallow freezer storage containers and you have individual serving for another time.
You can also serve with warm corn bread if you like.
Oh so good.

How to lose 5lbs a week with a busy lifestyle?

?K'swee

Okay I'm 18 years old who doesn't really have free time. I usually eat a home made dinner once a month because I'm never at home. I work 40 hours a week, 6 days a week and up to 9 hours a day. I need to lose weight quickly but I need help. I don't have the time to exercise but I'm willing to cut out food or eat more salads. I'm sick of gaining weight because of my job. Please help!

Answer
Weight loss is a combination of good nutrition, calorie reduction, and exercising.

Reducing your caloric intake by 3500 calories = 1 pound weight loss

Formula for Success:

1. Small Frequent Meals
Don't skip meals or go more than four hours without eating this set you up for later temptation. When meals are more than six hours apart, plan strategic snacks.

2. Eat Moderate Portions
Eat a little less of everything!

3. Beware of Concentrated Sugars
Excess sugar eaten alone causes more insulin secretion. Insulin promotes fat storage and can result in a rebound drop in blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar, in return, stimulates the appetite, especially cravings for more sugar.

4. Eat Foods High in Fiber
Fiber fills you up and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. We need both of them in our diet!

5. Lower Your Fat Intake
Limit foods that are high in fat.

6 . Consume Caffeine in Moderation, If at All
Caffeine, like alcohol, may be contained in beverages considered to be food but the effects of this chemical are definitely drug-like.

7. Exercise at least 3 times a week. Walk, walk, walk, swim, or Run!!! Drink Plenty of water.

Use the charts below to determine your appropriate weight and caloric intake.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

I am looking for top quality dinnerware for 20 people?

dinnerware sets 8 image

Elizabeth7

It will be a Christmas present for my mother. We have a big family and when we have our meals together at holidays our dishes our mix and matched. My mom would really love to have a large set that matches. But I want to get her a really good dish set, not some cheap thing that breaks and scratches the first time you wash it. We hand wash our dishes by the way. Can anyone recommend a good brand of dishes and were I can find them? Here are the traits I would like.

1. Microwave and Dishwasher safe
2. Oven safe
3. Not easily chipped or scratched, like when hand washing
4. I don't really want a design, I would prefer a solid color
5. Not White, Not Black
6. Coffee cups and saucers aren't needed, but would be accepted
7. Serving dishes would be a bonus, lids would be even better

I am open to any suggestions though, who knows you might just change my mind. Thanks!

Answer
It depends on how much you want ot spend. If money is no problem buy restaurant quality, it will meet all your needs. If your budget is limited buy three, 8 piece. sets at Wall*Mart, that way you have 4 extra settings to replace what breaks.

Where can i get placemats for Hometrends Bazaar Brown dinnerset?

Tony

I bought the 16 piece dinner set at walmart and I'm trying to find the place mats that are shown on the box and walmart doesn't have them. Please send me a link where I can find them! Thank you

Answer
Try Overstock.com and E-Bay. I bought a 60 piece set of Christmas dinnerware from a company called Domestications about 15 years ago. One of the dinner plates was recently dropped and broke into a thousand pieces. I had to replace it asap and found the dinner plate on E-bay for about $8.00 including shipping. They have some good stuff on E-Bay. I was surprised.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is the best way to spend 10 days in Thailand? We have never traveled before. Beach? Chaing Mai? Bangkok?

dinner set at big bazaar image

outtahere

Answer
Hi, for a 10-day holiday, I guess you will have to decide what you would like to do. I can offer 2 options based on your arrival airport.

Option 1 - arrival in Bangkok
Bangkok has quite a few things you can do. For instance:

Visit to the ancient city of Ayutthaya. See the former capital of Thailand. This site is a on the international heritage list. This is a one day visit.

City and river tour. Travel to see the sights in the city, and followed with a tour to see the city from the river point of view. This will be a day.

Grand Palace and Vinminek Mansion tour. Visit the former residence of the Thai Kings and the house of King Rama 5 which has been converted into a museum. One day affair.

Shopping in Bangkok will last a couple of days. The Grand Sale starts in Jun and last till july. With massive discounts country wide, you can expect to find bargains. With some big malls around, you will need quite a bit of time. There is MBK Centre, a popular tourist destination. Siam Paragon is new with and indoor marine aquaruim. The aquarium will last half day to view. There is Chatuchak weekend market on weekends only. Place is so huge, you need more than a day just to cover the many stalls selling anything under the sun. Plenty of bargains to be found. Equivalent at night is the Suan Luum Night Bazaar. Takes you an evening to cover. There is Silom Night Market, Sukhumvit Night Market, Khao San Night Market to visit too.
Another place not to miss is the Pratunam Wholesale Centre, with hundreds of shops selling clothes at wholesale price. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets. Many traders come here to stock up, and quite a few are overseas buyers.
A quick calculation, easily 3 days to try these, and there are more malls, like Central Chidlom, E Emporium, Queen Sirikit Convention Centre, Central World Plaza, Siam Square etc. With the sales, even the locals are shopping.

Theme parks to visit, Thailand Cultural Centre to see traditional Thai dances, ancient city of Muang Boran, Dusit Zoo, Safari World, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Water World etc.

So you can spend 10 days just in one city.

Option 2 - Chiangmai arrival

Chiangmai is about 700km north-west of Bangkok. This place has cooler clime and is favoured by those who cannot stand the heat in the Bangkok. Having a more undulating terrain, there are nice mountain resorts to relax in.

The Mae sa Valley Resort is known for it surrounding. Set in the valley up the hills, you are greeted by morning mist each day. Nearby is a botanic garden to visit. Nearby are local tradesman village and culturalcentre. You can learn some Thai handicraft and even Thai food cooking. Will have to check with the centre for the type of courses available.
Staying here will be easily 3-4 days realxation.

Next will be the main city of Chiangmai. With shopping centre and night markets, you will spend a fair bit of time shopping at both day and night.

Go for a Kantoke dinner and Thai Cultural Show at the Cultural Centre. The cuisine is typical nothern Thai Lanna style. And the dances are of the different hilltribes in northern Thailand.

Visits in the town is the Doi Suthep Hilltop temple. The Royal Family do visit this place if they are in the vicinity. There are national parks and garden at Phuping palace just further up the road from this temple.

Outlying areas, there is the National Elephant Centre, where besides showing you elephants at work and play, you can also go for an overnight elephant trek, or take up elephant riding course. All offered at the centre.

There are snake farm, bee farm, to visit. Spa resorts are also found in the area. Limestone caves too.

All in, this is the place to just relax.

Convincing parents on vacation?

Packersfan

Money isn't a big problem in this.My family is American and last summer we went on vacation to British Columbia. My parents claim that the anglo parts of Canada are "foreign" to Americans in terms of culture. I am trying to convince my parents that Ango-Canadian and Americans cultures aren't "foreign" to one another. For planning vacation next summer I have suggested that we go on vacation and see a foreign culture and I was told that we had already done that. Do you have any tips on 1.) Convincing my parents that Anglo - Canadian culture is foreign to American culture, and 2.) Do you have any suggestions on a place to see on vacation where you can see a foreign culture.

Answer
You may go to Alanya (in Antalya, Turkey) which is a wonderful place for an excellent holiday. I've written below some information and links about some of the things which you can enjoy in your holiday in Alanya.

# Sea, beach, sun

# Aqua parks

# Dolphin and sea parks

# Cruises (Boat Trip/Boat Tour/Blue Cruise/Blue Voyage) & Cabin Charters Holiday

# Diving

# Parasailing (flying with a parachute which is pulled by a boat)

# Paragliding (jumping with a parachute from a hill)

# Rafting (having a ride in a boat at high speed down a river)

# Canyoning (walking in the canyons)
You will have opportunity to see the natural beauty of Sapadere Canyon closer by the walking path through the canyon (video on link 32). You will have the opportunity of tasting village style local foods that are all cooked of natural products in Sapadere Village. You may also see the weaving of the silk on the weaving loom.

# Spelunking (walking in the caves)
There are famous caves in Alanya. Damlatas Cave (video on link 33) and Dim Cave (video on link 34) are famous for amazing travertine stalactite and stalagmite formations. You may also go into Korsanlar Sea Cave and Phosphorescent Sea Cave in Alanya by boat or by swimming and see inside of them (photos on link 35).

# Historical sites and museums
There are many historical sites in Alanya. Alanya Castle is the only Seljuk castle which has been preserved until the present day. It was built in 1225 and includes Hagia Yorgi Church, Suleiman the Magnificent Mosque, Seljuk Turkish Bath, Ottoman Bazaar, Alaaddin Keykubat Palace, cisterns, a lighthouse, a dungeon etc (photos on link 36). The Red Tower (Kizil Kule) was built by Seljuk Empire in 1226 and the bottom floor of the tower is now an ethnographic museum (photos on link 37). Seljuk Shipyard was built in 1228 (photos on link 38). Alara Inn was built in 1232 by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, the Alara Inn is located on Alara Creek which forms the boundary between Alanya and Manavgat. The 2000 m² inn is made entirely of cut stone. The guardhouse, fountain, mosque and baths are in mint condition and certainly worth seeing. Sarapsa Caravanserai was built in 1240s by Seljuk Empire. There are Archaeology and Ethnography Museums in Alanya which contains archaeological findings belonging to the prehistoric, Urartu, Frygian, Lydia, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. There are Roman ruins in the surrounding region of Alanya from 3rd century BC.

# Shopping
Shopping is an important part of a holiday since Turkey is cheaper than other European countries. You may buy many good quality clothes and your other requirements with a very low cost from local open markets (bazaar) which are generally set twice a week (video on link 39). You can easily get currency changed in touristic places of Turkey. The rate is a lot better there so I suggest you to change in Turkey ((1 £ = 2.58 TL), (1 ⬠= 2.15 TL), (1 $ = 1.59 TL) on February 15, 2011).

# Traditional Bath, Food, Drink, Music, Dance
In the evening you may have a relaxing bath in Turkish Bath (Hamam), have delicious Turkish Doner and Ayran in dinner, if you like alcohol you may try Turkish Raki, listen Turkish music and if you want you may watch belly dance show. Turkish people, who are famous for their hospitality all over the world, welcome you.

# Nightlife
At night you may go to one of the great nightclubs of Alanya. A few examples: Havana (videos on links 40 to 41), Bistro Bellman (videos on links 42 to 43) etc.

â You may look at my other answers for the deficient parts of this answer:
Holiday in Alanya (in Antalya, Turkey) Part 1 (link 51)
Holiday in Alanya (in Antalya, Turkey) Part 2 (link 52)

(link 32) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DETW5Hr2yNc
(link 33) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECEDI1_jDt4
(link 34) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmwwiJMaHd8
(link 35) http://www.alanya.tv/en/Alanya_Pictures/CavePhotos/
(link 36) http://www.alanya.tv/en/Alanya_Pictures/CastlePhotos/
(link 37) http://www.alanya.tv/en/Alanya_Pictures/RedTowerPhotos/
(link 38) http://www.alanya.tv/en/Alanya_Pictures/ShipyardPhotos/
(link 39) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH_KL4GGI_U
(link 40) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xim-4z_VRqA
(link 41) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1smTVdHpo8

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Something good to cook for dinner?

dinner set online image

ItsMe

I invited a family to dinner. One problem. I'm 19 and have never ever cooked dinner, for me or for someone else. My roommates make fun of me. "Don't we get straight A's if a roommate dies? No no, don't eat". I don't eat much, so food is not my specialty. What can I cook, something easy but that taste really good.

Answer
If you really can't cook, but want to try, start off with something simple, such as spaghetti. Serve with a nice salad and some garlic bread. You can buy all the ingredients already prepared (you do have to cook the pasta, but that is very easy) and quickly prepare a nice meal. If you are feeling really adventurous, add some meatballs (you can also buy those already prepared - they just need to be heated). Throw the garlic bread in the oven shortly before eating.

Another very simple dish is a frittata - sort of an baked omelet. You mix up some eggs, add your favorite ingredients (cheese, ham, bacon, veggies, etc...) and bake in a 350° oven for about 25 minutes or until set. Once again, serve with a green salad.

Recipes for these and many other simple beginner level recipes can be found online. Think of what you would like to be able to make and do a search for "easy _______ recipe".

What would be a great hostess gift to bring to dinner at the home of a wealthy person, other than wine?

kl417g

I have been invited to dinner at the home of a business associate who is wealthy. I want to bring a hostess gift but I do not want to bring wine because I do not know what will be served.

Answer
1. Guest Book: Many hostesses enjoy keeping track of their guests by having them sign a guest book. Itâs fun to look back, read the comments from past guests and remember the good times had while entertaining. Target or Hallmark carry a nice selection of classic and contemporary styled Guest Books for around $20.

2. Picture Frame: Almost every hostess would enjoy a beautiful picture frame. If you know your hostess well, choose a frame that will compliment her décor. A beautiful beveled silver 5x7 frame from Target is only $14.99. If your hostess is a bit more whimsical, try a desktop memo and picture holder. For $9.99 the âPoseyâ desktop frame/memo holder can hold either pictures, notes, recipes or all 3 at the same time.

3. Candle Set: Illuminations online and brick and mortar stores carry a nice selection of high quality candles and gift sets. If you live near a store, I highly recommend stopping in to pick up the vanilla candle and potpourri set for $19.99. This delightful little gift set comes with a sculpted wood dish, with 3 square, vanilla scented candles and some vanilla potpourri. Your hostess will enjoy this gift every time she uses it!

4. Chocolates: You really canât go wrong with chocolate and one of my favorite places to get fine chocolate is Sees Candy. Their 8 oz. Gold Truffle gift box is $8.05 and comes with 24 mouth watering truffles. Your hostess will enjoy Dark Chocolate Chip, Café Au Lait, Lemon, Light and Dark Chocolate, Key Lime, Café Hazelnut and Raspberry.

5. Coordinating Dishtowels: Dishtowels may not be the most heart felt gift you can give, but when they come from Williams Sonoma, they can be. Your hostess will appreciate your good taste and sense of quality. A set of 4, thick, waffle weave dishtowels costs $16. These are Williams Sonoma signature cotton towels and have a classic look.

6. Homemade Gift: A homemade gift will truly be something your hostess will appreciate. Whether you make a cookie or soup mix in a jar, throw together a recipe of spiced nuts, or create your own bath products like bath salts and bath bombs, presentation will really add to your giftâs charm. Put your bath products in a stainless steel wire caddy or a handcrafted basket. A cellophane bag tied with a big silk ribbon will dress up your spiced nuts. A wide ribbon and swatch of fabric covering the lid with hand made gift card will be the perfect presentation for a cookie mix in a jar.

7. Small House Plant: Fresh flowers may seem like perfect gift">the perfect gift for a hostess, but actually, they are not. Your hostess gift should treat the hostess, not create a crisis for her to deal with. If she is rushing around to take care of last minute details for her party, having to stop and find a vase and put the flowers in water may cause her undue stress. Instead, pick up a lovely house plant at your florist or even the florist department at your grocery store.

8. Kitchen Soap Gift Set: Williams Sonoma makes luxurious essential oil liquid hand soap and lotion sets in a contemporary looking stainless steel wire caddy for $29.99. These sets look great next to a kitchen sink and will be a very useful, but generous gift.

9. Cookbook: If you know a little bit about your hostess, try selecting a cookbook geared towards her interests. If she enjoys Italian cooking, look for an authentic Italian cookbook. If she likes to bake, there are lots of great cook books to choose from. A cookbook that was specifically chosen to reflect her interests is a very thoughtful way to show your appreciation to your hostess.

10. Hot Cocoa Gift Set: Nothing is quite as comforting as a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter night. Red Envelope has a decadent hot cocoa gift set by New York City chocolatier MarieBelle. For $26 you get 6 packets of Venezuelan cocoa in a lunchbox style tin. This sinfully delicious cocoa comes to life with hot water, but when refrigerated, becomes a dark, silky smooth Crème de Chocolat and can be eaten by the spoonful!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

I found a bowl full of fuzzy mold in my kitchen - should I just throw the whole thing away?

dinnerware sets for cheap image

Paranormal

It's a cheap ceramic bowl but then again it is part of a cheap ceramic dinnerware set (service for 8 = $19.95).

Answer
Nah just scrape out the mold and wash the bowl. If it were a wooden or plastic bowl I would trash it but not ceramic or glass. If you have allergies you should be careful not to breathe in the mold spores. I usually use a piece of newspaper to scrape it into a plastic grocery sack so I can tie it closed. Not to imply that I often find mold in my house but my kids have been known to leave gross bowls in their room.

Were can i find really cheap plastic dinnerware?

Ladybug

every year i always get the same stuff for my boyfriends mom.... Glass plates, or a kitchen supply. or cutlery etc..... and the reason i keep getting her that is because she always complain about her plates being broken etc.... so this year i was thinking of getting a family of four set of "plastic" dinnerware. What do you think? Where can i get this cheap?
she was a husband and two boys ( boyfriend and younger brother) that are so rough with their plates so naturally they break.

Answer
Have you thought about Corelle? It's really durable, looks like glass or regular china, and is pretty inexpensive, too. You can get it in several different places, I think even Walmart carries it, or you can get it online at Amazon.

You may have seen their commercials with the fashion model walking down the runway carrying a dish, she trips, drops the dish, which just bounces around the runway...they really are that durable!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

which site can provide me with sending dinnerware sets to dubai?

dinnerware sets tableware image

priyasha_n

I stay in US. My friend recently got married and stays in Dubai. I need to send her a gift. And I want to send her a dinnerware set. I am not able to find a single site which can deliver it to Dubai. If you know which site helps deliver dinnersets to dubai online, do let me know.
Thanks.

Answer
you can buy it and get it shipped to your place, then send it thru the big courier companies (aramex, DHL, Fedex ) .. and if you'll choose another company, make sure that they have a branch in the UAE .. so your shipment doesn't end up going to the post office..

Regarding the sites, if you like any item from any site, just check their shipping destination..

Amazon deliveres to the UAE .. check it out

http://www.amazon.com/Dinnerware-Sets-Tableware-Kitchen-Dining/b/ref=amb_link_85607111_34?ie=UTF8&node=367146011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gp-center-5&pf_rd_r=06YCZCRSPMTGQ29ME2G4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=498494411&pf_rd_i=284507

EDIT: i found another site that can be useful for you .. and that ships to the UAE

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=all&search_query=dinnerware&ship_to=AE&page=1

Where can I find Del Prado dinnerware sets?

Lizzy

My mother gave me a dinnerware set from Spain, the bottom is stamped Art Gallerie Collection Ironstone Del Prado Spain. I am trying to complete the set, but am having difficulties finding it anywhere.

Answer
Pontesa is the leading ironstone tableware there. If you can get us an image of the dish set and a close up of the back mark it will help. I don't suppose your mom can shed any light?

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is the cheaper option, Marquee or Hotel reception?

cheap plates sets uk image

ShaunaP

tryin to have a low cost wedding reception due to huge family :/

we are aware that often the cheapest hotel or room available for a wedding reception is not very nice looking and almost worth paying more for a nicer room - but then the meal is a rip off

however

we were wondering would it be cheaper to hire a nice big marquee and have family do the catering, we have land which we could use, iv no idea how much they are on average :/ (UK)

wot u guys think?

Answer
There is no hard and fast rule.

Who are you hiring the marquee from?
How big is it?
Do they set up or do you?
Do you need a floor?
Do you need to hire other equiptment (tables, chairs, bain marie, glasswear, plates etc?

Which hotel are you considering?
How big is the room?
Do they do the catering or can you choose your own?
Whats included?

Etc. So you can see how many variable there are that may effect the price.
I would suggest you go get some quotes. It can work out very similar or very different in price defending on what you want.

Personally I think the hotel is good only because they usually include the extras (tables, chairs, glasswear, cutlery, crockery) which can all add up.

Where can I find the famous Gerald Ratner speech of 1991?

Truman

The one where he says "People say, "How can you sell this for such a low price?", I say, "because it's total crap".

Answer
Gerald Ratner, the former retail tycoon responsible for one of the most famous gaffes in corporate history, is hoping to relaunch his career on the internet.

----------------------------------------

Although widely regarded as "tacky," the UK-based Ratners chain of jewelry stores shops was nevertheless extremely popular with the British public. That was until Chairman Gerald Ratner's now famous speech at the UK Institute of Directors in April 1991. During which, Gerry muttered this now-famous phrase:

âWe also do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray that your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95.
People say, "How can you sell this for such a low price?"
I say, because it's total crap."

-------------------------------------------------

In 1991 Gerald Ratner was booked to make what should have been an everyday
speech at the Institute of Directors. Should have been. When the words "total
crap" come out of his mouth in connection with a decanter and glasses set sold by
his company, H. Samuel, it all turned out slightly different. The Rise and Fall...And
Rise Again tells the full story, in Gerald Ratner's own words, of what lead him to
that point at the IoD, the horror of what happened in the immediate aftermath,
the fallout and the comeback. This is the fi rst time Gerald Ratner has given his side
of the story. And what a story it is. You'll fi nd out:
* How he wiped £500m off the value of his own company virtually overnight
* All the details about the initial gaffe and how he compounded it by remarking
that some of the earrings were "cheaper than an M&S prawn sandwich but
probably wouldn't last as long"
* How "doing a Ratner" has entered into the vocabulary of British business
* The wilderness years sitting glued to the sofa in front of Countdown
* How he has bounced back, rediscovering his entrepreneurial spark by building
up a health club business and, more recently, the immensely successful online
jewellery retailer Geraldonline.com
* The story's not over yet...

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How to put together a dinner set?

dinner set plates image

Sarah

I've been thinking about putting together a formal dinner set, including the plates, glasses, silverware, and serveware. I already have a set of gold-plated flatware. I have been looking at Royal Albert's set of Old Country Roses dinnerware and Waterford's crystal drinking glasses. Can anyone give me some advice for how to put together a dinner set and how I should choose my pieces?

Answer
By using cutlery.

How to put together a dinner set?

Sarah

I've been thinking about putting together a formal dinner set, including the plates, glasses, silverware, and serveware. I already have a set of gold-plated flatware. I have been looking at Royal Albert's set of Old Country Roses bone china dinnerware and Waterford's crystal drinking glasses. Can anyone give me some advice for how to put together a dinner set and how I should choose my pieces?

Answer
By using cutlery and some food.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What are some of the basic things I need for my first time moving out?

dinnerware sets list image

Chrissy_J

I'm finally moving out and I need a list of all the basic things that I will need to have to start out, I have a bed and that's it. HELP

Answer
My sister is moving out in September,here is part of her list:
Iron and ironing board
Dish clothes
Bath towels
Face clothes
Plunger
Light bulbs
Batteries
Flash light
Kettle
Toaster
Beater
Cutlery(knives,spoons,forks...)
Measuring Cups
Dinnerware(dishes,bowls,cups,glasses...)
Can opener
Rolling pin
Grater
Mixing bowls
Cleaning supplise(pail,rags,sponge,mr.clean...)
Sheet set
Blankets

First apartment, what are the top necessities to have?

NaTiVe Nu_

I'll be moving very soon and everything in my apartment will be brand new. I'll first start off with the bed and bath necessites. What else should I look for?

Answer
Here is a list of the bare neccesities you'll need when first moving in.
*Bedroom:
-Bed (of course) along with all the bedding that goes along with that. Fitters, sheets, pillow cases and blankets. And pillows of course!
-A night table, alarm clock and small lamp.
-Blinds/Curtains for privacy and to block out sunlight.
-Not sure about your closet space but think about storage.
*Kitchen:
-Get an inexpensive but nice (not cheap) dinnerware set, drinkware set, flatware set, some mugs for hot drinks and a serving set. Get it for atleast 8 people...trust me, you'll end up using it!
-Get basic baking/cooking tools. You'll need atleast one medium frying pan and one medium pot. Don't waste money on a million pots and pans.
-Get a whisk, measuring spoons, spatula, laddle, cutting board and atleast one good knife for cutting veggies and meat/poultry.
-The best thing to get for food prep and storage is the Pyrex 16 piece starter ste. It comes with measuring cup, mixing bowls, glass bakeware and containers, etc:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=sc_pgb_r_2_1_4037001/601-7060848-6874514?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B00005OTX4
-Oven mits, apron, dish towels and a dish rack are must haves.
-You don't 100% need this item but I 100% recommend getting a George Forman grill. Its a God-send for easy healthy cooking (chicken, meat, fish, veggies, paninis, etc).
-A Brita or Pur filter is good to have. Trust me, you'll get sick of running out to buy bottled water! Plus its better for the enviroment.
-Also, get as many of the basic spices you commonly use.

General Items You'll Need:
-Iron and ironing board
-Hangers
-Vaccum
-TV and TV stand
-Towels and a bath mat
-Rags for dusting
-Cleaning supplies & laundry detergent
-Shopping cart for laundry and groceries

This link is to Target Wedding Registry basics. Although you aren't getting married it'll help you get an idea of all the items you'll possibly need:
http://sites.target.com/site/en/clubwedd/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-004045

Your first apartment is so much fun! Congrats!!!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How much does it cost to live in Canada on a working holiday?

dinner set rates image

i am planning on moving to Canada in September and i will still have $320 per month to pay for my car in Australia while i am living over there.
i will be working over there, but i have no idea how much i would be getting paid per month.
i also need to know how much money i will need to set aside for food, rent and living expenses.
will i be able to afford this?
will i be able to save?
i have no idea????
Thanks.
i will be living and working in Jasper, Alberta.

Answer
Hi i am not too sure what the cost of living is like in alberta but i can give you a rough idea of the cost in a medium size town (kitchener) in ontario

an apartment can range from 500-2000 dollars a month depending on how nice you would like your apartment to be. another option is to rent a room which usually ranges from 350-800.00 in a shared house.

(theses are all Canadian prices)

food well a box of cereal is about 5.50 here and a pizza around 18-20. you can get four chicken breasts at the grocery store for about 12.00 and butter is 4.50. (those are just a few products but if you compare those prices to what you are paying now in Australia it might give you an idea what the difference might be)

in general i would say i spend about 60.00 a week on groceries (thats splitting the cost with my fiance, about 120.00 a week for the two of us but we usually buy meat and cheese and milk so you could make an effort to spend less than that for sure)

not sure about the cost of a car but a bus pass in my area is about 100 dollars for six months.

a ticket to the movies is about ten bucks.

dinner out varies depending on the place i would say eight to nine bucks for a burger and fries and most middle of the road restaraunts. And if you hunt for good value restaurants you can get a gourmet meal for about 30.00 a plate.

booze is more expensive here than in the states and bars charge pretty different rates depending on where you go but a beer might cost about four bucks on average.

for clothing prices well it really depends where you shop for a pretty nice sweater like 60.00 but you can get good clothes for 20.00 an item as well .

hope that helps! it was all the random stuff i could think of! if you check kijiji site for jasper alberta and look under apartments for rent it should give you an idea of whats on the market and what your rent might be like!
here is the link
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/f-jasper-housing-apartments-for-rent-W0QQCatIdZ37QQKeywordZjasper
they look a bit pricier than in my town about 800.00

What are some simple, healthy, 300 calorie meals?

HorseLover

With at least 20 grams of protein, and some vegetables. I need ideas for lunch and dinner (I'm ok with rotating 2 or 3 meals throughout the week, instead of having a big variety of meals).
I need at least 1 lunch recipe and 1 dinner recipe to be vegetarian, if possible (if not, that's ok).
I'm going on a low calorie diet for a week (to speed up my weight loss. I'm not doing the diet and then going back to my normal eating - I will continue to lose weight following a healthy, sustainable plan I've made). I'll be dong strength training to prevent muscle loss.

Also, do I need to take a multivitamin during the week I'll be on the low calorie diet? It's only for a week, and I already take hair, skin, and nail vitamins (I think a multivitamin would cause me to have too much of certain vitamins in my system, because my hair vitamins have over 100% DV of some of them).

Answer
You ought to try going to myrecipes.com. It's the website where magazines like Cooking Light (my fav), Food and Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Sunset and many others have all of their recipes.

They have this great "Nutrition Search" feature that you can tweak search results to get the perfect recipes. For example, lets say you want a main dish chicken meal, less than 300 calories per serving, low carb....just set your search criteria and it will give you many recipes to choose from. All of the Cooking Light recipes list nutritional information. It is completely awesome.

It is my most favorite place to find recipes. I use it probably every other day. You can rate and review recipes and read what other readers have to say. Please try it...you will love it

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How much is my fine china set worth?

dinner set bone china price image

the lickst

I have an 84 pc. set of Mikasa Wheaton Pattern bone china with several accessories. The set includes 12 of each, dinner plates, footed cups, saucers, salad plates, bread and butter plates, soup bowls and fruit bowls.Acessories are round covered vegetable bowl,oval vegetable bowl,gravy bowl with attached underplate,round vegetable bowl and 14 5/8" oval serving platter.The set is in excellent condition and most pieces are in their original plastic sleeves. This set was made in Narumi , Japan and is pattern #102.

Answer
Take a plate or place setting to a reputable antique shop in your area. Tell them what you're telling us and they will tell you how much it's worth. If it was me, I'd probably go to a couple of antique dealers and see if they're all within the same price range, for most accurate appraisal.

I would like to find a site that has information on antiques of all kinds, I don't want to be sold anything.

Annette T

I need info on antiques. Prices, Markings, Makers...Japanese, English, German, for porcelian, bone china, lead crystal. Mostly for dinner sets, tea sets and such.
I'm tired of E-Bay, I just can't find information on it.

Answer
Have you tried Google?

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Would you keep dating a guy who uses coupons everytime you go out for dinner?

dinner set sale image

the good o

My boyfriend who uses coupons every time we go out for dinner, and it's always a place we go to where the discount is! He is a not hurting for money by no means, and is the CEO of his own company. When I want to go somewhere that doesn't involve a coupon he ignores my request. Any advice?

Answer
Well if you like everything else about him, that's not a very solid reason to just dump him. Maybe he is saving up his extra money for something, you don't know. Or maybe he's just frugal to the point of seeming cheap. I know a guy who makes six figures and still uses every coupon, hits every sale, and saves every penny he can. It's annoying, but it's his decision. If you want to go to a certain place, you pay for the night. Set an example. I am of the mind that the guy should not always pay. That's not fair.

Eastern US only! What are you going to have for your dinner tonight?going out or making your own at home?

A Yahoo Us

Eastern US only! What are you going to have for your dinner tonight?going out or making your own at home?I had my own made dinner at just now.I have learn to make some delicious indian recipes.yummmm....
ok.for whole usa now.sorry..just mentioned because its all most everyone's dinner time soon.but never mind.thanks.

Answer
â¢Italian Tomato Sauce
â¢This is the best you will ever have and very authentic. .

Get a sauce pan heat up some vegetable oil, (enough to cover the bottom of the pan 3/4 inch. Use an oil like Wesson Vegetable oil, (lighter and cleaner tasting than olive oil) add to that 3 - 4 cloves of smashed, pre-salted garlic. Heat that over a medium heat until the garlic is soft. Now, to the hot oil mixture, add 4 - 5 fresh basil leaves, torn . Do not allow the garlic to burn, you just want the basil and garlic to soften. Pour in 4 cans 8oz tomato sauce, any brand tomato. Turn up the heat a bit. Now take a can of WHOLE (28 oz) of San Marzano imported tomatoes, NO substitutes.(the reason you want the WHOLE tomatoes is that the pre-crushed are a lower quality, contain the scraps and or are the damaged tomatoes; therefore, not as good) First pour the juice of the San Marzano, then crush the rest of the tomatoes in a colander, by hand over the pot allowing all the pieces to be crushed, then pour that into the pot. Add a few more leaves of torn fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, regular black pepper (no salt) Turn down the heat and let it all simmer for 25 minutes.
When done set aside, now turn off the heat, stir in three heaping tablespoons of Pecorino Romano imported grated Italian cheese, Locotelli type is best if you can find it. That contains all the salt you need, the salt and the salt in the canned tomatoes, should be enough. I never have to add any extra. .
Serve with your favorite pasta and a few spoons of fresh Ricotta cheese added at the end to make it superb. You may also add a little extra fresh ground cracked black pepper at the end if you like and or red pepper flakes (optional) if you prefer.
If you follow this exactly and use the exact ingredients, your friends and family will not think you made this unbelievable sauce. They will think you are a genius!
If you live near a Trader Joe's store I highly recommend that you purchase a bag that contains 13 frozen small precooked flame broiled meatballs. Let them simmer from frozen in the sauce for 25 minutes until warm. That is the only type I recommend . .yum . .or make your own. I don't bother to make my own anymore, I can't make them better nor cheaper than the ones from Trader Joes.
If you can't find The San Marzano tomatoes where you live, they are available to purchase on the internet. Keep in mind, these are a type of canned tomatoes from a special area of Italy, many companies import into America a San Marzano tomato. First ask your grocery store manager. The next important ingredient is the Romano Cheese, Locotelli is best if you can find it if not you can purchase it from the net as well. The Tomatoes sauce any domestic brand is just fine, I use what ever is on sale, I tried them all which ever one, Del Monte, Hunts, Contadina, even the store brand. whatever you can find. Regular salt type, not the low salt. If I have a choice and the price is right, I prefer Contadina, they are a tiny bit sweeter. .
I am serving it with some store bought homemade style fresh pasta and the Trader Joe's Meatballs

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

I was just diagnosed with Diabetics 2 and I need to know what tv dinners brand would be ok to eat?

dinner set target image

katcenicer

I have not gone todiabetics classes yet, my doctor is setting that up for me, but I have Lean cuisines now in my frig. I sometimes need something fast especially at work on my lunch. I need to now if thats a better brand than healthy choice or weight watchers. The lean cuisines have no perservatives.

Answer
You can survive on tv dinners as a diabetic if you read the labels. Not everybody's living situation has room for preparing raw food.

Try to keep the carbs under 45g, and watch out for higher sodium and fat content.

Some brands are better than others, and even within a brand, some dinners are better than others (in other words not all lean cuisines and Healthy Choice dinners are "diabetic friendly", and sometimes stoffer's and budget gormet can be, just depends on the numbers).

No pot pies of any brand and generally nothing that has a lot of gravy or cream suace.

Take some extra time and browse the whole tv dinner isle and look at all the different selections. Many dinners have either the diabetic or weight watcher's exchange point system listed on them, sometimes both (can sometimes be hard to find on the boxes). Look up the diabetic exchange system (I believe it can be found on diabetes.org), and the point system for weight watchers, and use that as a guide, too. They are very interchangable once you know what your targets are (should be a suggested mealplan on diabetes.org)..

Some dinners, surprisingly, include a dessert portion and can actually be within your meal plan. Generally, any "kid friendly meal" won't be within your meal plan.

Look also at the microwavable breakfast bowls. Some of those are allowable, some aren't (obviously the pancake ones aren't).

My mother did very well as a diabetic eating tv dinners when she could no longer prepare meals on her own and didn't like having people cook for her (she was able to keep her a1c under 6 for many years). TV dinners were actually a suggestion by her endocrinologist. I wish I could remember specifically which meals of which brands I used to buy for her, but it's been too long.

Is there a way to buy a dinner plate or salad plate separately?

loving lif

I accidentally broke one of my dinner plates and one of my salad plates. I got them as a wedding gift from Target 2 years ago. I looked on the website and say that the designs are still available, but they come in sets. Is there any way to just buy one plate?

Answer
A lot of dinnerware is sold "open stock", which means you can buy it by the piece. Have you tried a google search for just a plate in your pattern?

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

how can I increase my sales in my restaurant?

black dinner service sets image

T-Man

we have just re-modeled the restaurant inside and out, we have live entertainment now every weekend, changed the menu, and all, but the business just is not pouring in at night, there has not been a profit for 2 months now!

Answer
Of course, any business advice would need to be tailored to your specific establishment, but here's some general input:

Your question posed "how to increase sales", but you ended with "has not been a profit".

Sales and profits are two completely different things.

Increase Sales: General thoughts

1. Market Saturation: Does your area have restaurants similar to yours? If so, you may have too much competition. Check out your competition and see what they're doing. Compare/contrast to your operation.

2. Staff: Is your staff the best they can be? Are they knowledgeable? Do they know the menu inside and out? Are they loyal? Do you have rewards/incentive programs in place above just tips? Do you drive them to succeed?

3. Menu: Obvious question; is your food good? Is it new, different, and unique? Does it cater to your target audience? When coming up with new menu ideas, how much outside input do you get; family, friends, etc.? Do you keep it fresh? One client of mine rotated 20% of his menu (between apps, entrees and desserts) every 5 weeks; keeping the most popular items and experimenting with new. Do you offer a variety of dietary choices on your menu?

4. Pricing: Are too expensive? Too cheap? Cheap prices are not necessarily a benefit, it can imply cheap quality. Price accordingly.

5. Network: Join any local organizations, starting with the Chamber of Commerce. You can host events (monthly meetings) at your establishments. Get involved with local events in town, become a sponsor for events, etc.

6. Marketing: Don't just throw money into advertising, especially if you're cash-poor (2 months no profit). Be selective with your advertising avenues. Don't saturate, be smart. Determine your target audience and go after them.

Maximize Profits:

1. Check expenses: Where (if anywhere) is the excess spending? Are you over-staffing? Are your utilities in line with your volume? Do you have an inventory control system in place?

2. Increase Efficiency of operations: Not only does this increase revenues (because it improves the customers' experience) it also decreases costs (hence improving profits). Efficiency can be achieved in a number of ways. Take a look at your business and see where things can be improved; customer service, order processing, staff training, even physical operational set-up.

3. Product quality: You can actually increase profits by spending more on ingredients.

For example: For example: A previous client of mine was operating a pizza stand. To watch his cost he bought inexpensive sauce and dough (the two main ingredients of Pizza) and had a price too high for the quality of product he was selling. When my company stepped in, the first thing we did was get him a better dough and a better sauce. We also adjusted his price down. His sales went through the roof! Because more people came back to purchase again because he had a good product. He ended doubling his revenues.

4. Income statements: Many small business owners don't invest the time in creating monthly income statements. If you don't, you should. By seeing your business' operation in black and white on a monthly basis you will able to see specifically where your revenues are coming from (drinks, dinners, desserts, etc) and where your costs are going.


There is so much more you can do. Drop me a line if you'd like some more advice.

Hope this helps!

We would like to go on a cruise in 08 but have never been?

beccaroo

What would you recommend for a family cruise (2 children 7 &10). What is included? Do you have to dress up?

Answer
First thing to consider is that Passports are required for cruises in 2008. Give yourself plenty of time to get your applications processed.

My kids started cruising at ages 5 and 7. We have done Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. The Disney cruise was OK when they were very young but now as a 'tween and a teen, they love Carnival the most.

The 24-hour pizzeria and ice cream station are real treats for this age kids.

They enjoy the events hosted by Camp Carnival and usually meet a good number of vacation friends.

When shopping for a cruise, make sure that your travel agent includes the port fees and taxes in any quote you get. This is usually not included in the teaser rates you see on the web.

What is included for this fee...your cabin, food, tea & lemonade, entertainment (except casino).

In addition to the fare, consider these extra expenses (except the tips...these are optional).

Tips: $10 per day per guest.

Bar drinks: $4-12 each plus 15% gratuity

Sodas. $1.75 per can or $35-45 for unlimited soda by the glass card. The card pays for itself if you drink 3 sodas per day.

Shore execursions: 50-200 per person per event.

Spa services - $50-200 per service

Photos - $20-22 per sheet.

Bingo cards - $5-10 each

Speciality coffee and pastries - $4-12 each

Bottled water - $3.50 each

Taxis in port - $5-10 per ride

Tips - luggage porters. $1 per bag

Parking at cruise terminal - check w/port authority.

As for dressing up, you don't HAVE to. You can dine at the informal eatery on the formal nights but that is the night the usually serve the steak and lobster. My girls love dressing up for the formal night. You will see every type of dress from a little black dress to evening gown type wear. My husband wears a dark suit and tie.

Other times, attire is vacation...shorts, capris, tanks. However, if you want to dine in the main dining room for dinner, shorts and tanks are not allowed. Pants (including jeans) are good for dinner.

We take along a set of 2-way radios to keep in contact while on-board That way, there are no missing check-ins and I have piece of mind while my girls enjoy their vacation as well.

Notable...the cabins are pretty small.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers