Facebook, Pinterst and Box Announce Program to Help Women Break into Tech!

Good to see organization's offering opportunities for women break into tech roles.  If your in the Bay area (in California), you're in luck!

"Facebook, Pinterest and Box announced a new pilot program on Wednesday that will provide one-on-one mentorship to help women break into technical roles, and thrive in the industry.
The program, called WEST (Women Entering and Staying in Tech), will have have female staffers from the three tech companies available to serve as mentors for those women who sign up. The pilot program will launch early next year in the Bay Area."  More here.

Fast Company Is Looking For A Web Development Intern!

Fast Company is looking for interns!  More info here.
Thank me later!

Get Ready: Personal Drones Are Here! Would You Buy It?

From the folks at Venture Beat:  "You don’t need a friend to carry a camera to catch all those gnarly extreme-sports moves anymore. You just need this drone and a GoPro.

A Kickstarter campaign to fund the first batch of drones from startup Squadrone System is raking in money fast. The goal is $50,000. It debuted today, and people threw more than that at the campaign within two hours of its launch.

Sure, unmanned aerial vehicles can be fascinating, helpful, and sometimes even world-changing, but they don’t often have the distinction of being able to fly around and follow a fast-moving person without someone minding its every move. But Squadrone’s smartphone app changes all that. It lets people set rules about how far away and at what angle the drone will stay as you ski, skate, ride, run, or otherwise move."

.....The only thing I can say is I want this for Christmas.  Check out Venture Beat for the full scoop.

Inspiration: Single Mom Of 3 Graduates From UCLA With THREE Degrees

If this doesn't give you inspiration I don't know what will.

Deanna Jordan single mother of 3 children graduated from UCLA with THREE degrees.  

Folks, don't just chase your dreams, get them and  live them.

“I needed for my sons to see there was a legacy that preceded them with college. I am the first in my family to go to college,” the 28-year-old mom told CBS News of her accomplishment. Before graduating with two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s in African-American Studies, she spent two years at a local community college and three-and-a-half years at the University of California.  

Deanna, you inspire.  Full story here.

Congrats! Rapper Eve Gets Married in Ibiza, Spain

Its official! Rapper Eve, real name Eve Jeffers, is now a new bride.  She married her beau of three years, businessman and millionaire Maximillion Cooper in Ibiza, Spain.  Congrats to the newlyweds. http://bit.ly/1lvDquq

Photo credit: Bun B's Instagram

Bored at Lunch?: Watch Kenyan Sci Fi Short Film "Pumzi"

Don't be bored at lunch. Watch 20-min Kenyan sci-fi film Pumzi by filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu

Roombots: Robotic Furniture that Reconfigures Itself!

Photo credit: Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL

by Monica Peters

There’s nothing better than robotic inventions that make everyday life easier.  

 The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) or English translation: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne)  has created something spectacular that I hope will be on the market in the US very soon:  Adaptive Self Organizing Furniture—furniture that moves around and changes structures on its own.

If you want to change the layout of your conference room or bedroom, simply program the layout from a tablet and the small robotic modules will configure themselves.  You don’t need to do anything except wait for the modules to complete the task.

EPFL scientists from the Biorobotics Laboratory invented the Roombot creation which emphasizes a hybrid model made up of the robotic modules and “solid passive elements” to ensure cost effectiveness and solidity of the structures.  The Roombot pieces have a wireless connection and  retractable claws to attach themselves to other pieces to make larger structures. The Roombot pieces, which are each 22 cm-long, have a motor and battery. 

It’s important to note that the scientists are still working on perfecting this project. As of right now, according to the site there are “four functional modules with an autonomy of one-hour - still not enough to create complete pieces of furniture, but enough to build simple structures and hybrid combinations.”

This invention is attracting much attention and investment to move the project further. EPFL received a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation to start designing multifunctional and assistive robotic furniture starting in September 2014.  The new module will be able to interact with people such as monitoring health, helping a person recover from fall, helping humans move such as laying down, sitting or standing. 

In the meantime, take a look at how this works present day.

Avocado Date Shake!

by Monica Peters

Try out one of my favorite smoothes I love to make: Avocado Date Shake.  This sweet n' tasty shake is real simple to make and very nutritious. Although it is a shake, you can also eat with a spoon instead of using a straw. The dates are really sweet so you do not need to add sugar. Interesting fact: Avocado shake is a very popular Vietnamese drink!



Ingredients:

1 avocado (the biggest one you can buy)
One 5 oz can of carnation evaporated milk
5 pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel avocado, and put in food processor (be sure to remove pit from avocado before placing in food processor). Add in dates, evaporated milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend in food processor for about 15 seconds or when your desired texture is desired....Enjoy your sweet delicious drink!

Craig Venter: "DNA is the Software of Life." We Are Offically in the Age of Synthetic/Artificial Life

X-Men: Days of Future Past wasn’t totally science fiction. 

Did you know that in 2010 (in real life) world renowned microbiologist J. Craig Venter invented and created the world’s first synthetic life?  With a team of scientists, Venter created a synthetic bacteria designed on a computer with man-made DNA.   

In plain English, we can now create new forms of life in a laboratory. Check out 60 Minute’s interview with genius Craig Venter HERE.

Did you miss my X-Men: Days of Future Past movie review? Read it here.

Monica's Movie Review: X-Men Days of Future Past: Thrilling, Action Filled, Emotional, Drama Packed, Fabulous Effects

 

By  Monica Peters

For those of you who are X-Men fans or newbies to the series, the latest release X-Men: Days of Future Past won’t disappoint. It’s not only a great action film--but a great film period topped with superior performances.  It is storytelling at its best and director Bryan Singer did a phenomenal job at executing a very complex storyline flawlessly that’s easily understandable to the movie goer.  You will definitely be gripped by some of the X-Men character’s personal backgrounds as the film will dig deep into their past lives including drug addiction issues. The film easily rivals X-Men 2 which is hailed as a popular favorite amongst hardcore fans of the series.

Quick synopsis:  Kitty (Ellen Page) sends Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), via his conscious, back in time to the 70’s with a mission of altering past historic world events to change what we know as the present day world with a mutant twist.  Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is a critical component for the mission to be accomplished successfully. While time traveling in the past Wolverine recruits Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), the hilarious scene stealing QuickSilver (Evan Peters), Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) to convince Raven aka Mystique to alter her past actions to change world history.  The recruiting process hits a few snags as Wolverine has to reacquaint his fellow XMen  with him and convince them that he was sent from the future.

Days of Future Past satisfies many unanswered questions from the previous series where the storylines lacked continuity. You'll get a kick out of James Brown quotes and a Sanford & Son snippet.  You will also be emotionally conflicted as to what your perception of a villain and a hero are as the lines become blurred.

 I'll stop before this review turns into a serious movie spoiler. If you haven't seen any of the prior films in the series, no worries you can follow along with no problem as the movies ties up many loose ends.

Everything you think this movie is, it isn’t.  Get ready for one heck of a ride.  This may be one of the best action films of 2014.

PG-13, 113 minutes.

 ....Monica Peters

Work Dem Oodles & Noodles: Top Ramen Cuisine

Yeah, we all know about Top Ramen/Oodles n Noodles. It got us through the lean times in college. Why heck, we all still gotta budget from time to time right? :)

.....Ladies and gentleman, my own spin:

Ramen noodles with shrimp and fresh spinach.  Seasoned with Berbere (an Ethiopian spice mixture) and a little bit of the noodles' included season packet.

Tech & Travel Break: Documentary "BB King: The Life of Riley" Opens in Theaters Nationwide May 21

.... Narrated by Morgan Freeman featuring Bono, Santana, Eric Clapton and more. 

Trailer (l) & 80's footage of BB and Bono rockin'out. (r)

*I do not own or claim copyright to any of this footage.

Monica Interviews Food Network's Guy Fieri Talk Diet and Style

Google Cake Pops!

Ladies and gentleman, 

Google cakes on a stick 
(Google Pops):

Key lime, lemon, carrot cake, chocolate and red velvet.

One of the tasty treats at the Google Media Summit at Newseum in Washington DC.

 Click pic for closeup

Nawlins' Brad Pitt Chows Down on Pizza During Oscars!

New Orleans resident and new Oscar winner, Brad Pitt, is showing that Nawlins love for food!  No better time to chow down on pizza than during the Oscar ceremony. 

Later in the evening, the proud producer of 12 Years a Slave accepted the Oscar for the film which won Best Picture!  Congratulations!

Check out some of the good work Pitt is doing in New Orleans with his Make it Right Foundation.

(Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP) 

CHECK OUT OUR 2014 NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT & FUN NAVIGATION GUIDE (Parts 1-7)

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part I: COURT OF TWO SISTERS

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part II: ARNAUD'S

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part III:TUJAGUES

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part IV: NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part V: STEAMBOAT NATCHEZ

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VI: LE RICHELIEU HOTEL

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VII: CAFE DU MONDE

Mardi Gras 2014 Restaurant & Fun Guide, Part I: THE COURT OF TWO SISTERS, 613 Royal St.

More than Mardi Gras!: Great Food, Great People, Great City

New Orleans is a Top Destination for a Reason 

by Monica Peters
for TheGritsnCheeseDish.blogspot.com

 
Mardi Gras Day takes place March 4 this year.  However, New Orleans is much more than Mardis Gras. New Orleans received the honor of being acknowledged by National Geographic Traveler as a top destination in the world for 2014--all year round.  Enjoy this 7-part guide and let the fun begin!

To get a comprehensive taste of New Orleans cooking and food, you must stop at The Court of Two Sisters, a restaurant named after sisters Emma and Bertha Camors whom were popular Creole artistocrats in the city during the 1800's. A different family owns it today and are dedicated to providing excellent food and service.  I invited my good friends Jonel and Emily for this food adventure. The three-story building, which has indoor and outdoor courtyard seating (also the largest courtyard in the French Quarter), sits on “Governor’s Row,” the 600 block of Royal Street, once home to five governors, two state Supreme Court justices, a future justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and more dignitaries. This French Quarter restaurant offers an elegant atmosphere with an extensive all- you-can-eat affordable buffet from 9am to 3 p.m.with a live jazz band.

All-You-Can-Eat Buffet is $29  Great food, relaxing atmosphere, awesome Bloody Mary's!
Check out the video of the Court teaching me how to eat crawfish & photo slide and sample of what the buffet offers daily.  Brought along my pals Emily (l) and Jonel (r)

                                         VIDEO                                     PHOTO SLIDE 

                                 
Buffet Offerings:

Specialty Salads: A unique selection of salads, including: Zesty Cajun Pasta, Sweet Potato w/Andouille Sausage, Creamy Crawfish and Spinach Pasta, Ceviche, Homemade Olive and Country Pâtés, Seafood Mousse and an assortment of domestic and imported cheeses.   

Carving Station: Tender Roast Beef and Slow Roasted Turkey Breast, carved to order and served with natural au jus and horseradish cream sauce.  Hot Entrée Offerings: Fresh Shrimp in Spicy Etouffee, Duck à l' orange, Crawfish Louise, Creole Jambalaya, Southern BBQ Pork Ribs, and a local favorite – Veal Grillades and Gravy, Corn Grits. 

 

 Desserts &Fresh Fruits Fresh cakes, pies and sweets baked daily on the premises, including Mardi Gras King Cake, Southern Pecan Pie, Bananas Foster, Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, and Home-Churned French Vanilla Ice Cream with your choice of Praline Sauce or Chocolate Sauce. Finally, assortments of local and exotic fruit and fruit salads!

 

RESTAURANT & FUN NAVIGATION GUIDE (Parts 1-7)

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part I: COURT OF TWO SISTERS

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part II: ARNAUD'S

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part III:TUJAGUES

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part IV: NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part V: STEAMBOAT NATCHEZ

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VI: LE RICHELIEU HOTEL

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VII: CAFE DU MONDE

Mardi Gras 2014 Restaurant & Fun Guide Part II: ARNAUD'S, 813 Bienville Ave

More than Mardi Gras!: Great Food, Great People, Great City

New Orleans is a Top Destination for a Reason 

by Monica Peters
for TheGritsnCheeseDish.blogspot.com

My awesome friends Jonel and Emily, embarked on this food adventure with me at the upscale Creole cuisine restaurant, Arnaud's, located in the French Quarter (off Bourbon St). The restaurant serves everything from the well known to the exotic ranging from frog legs to snails. The restaurant's grand, spacious and elegant dining room is dimly lit with beautiful décor and a live band. Budget watch: Appetizers, salads, desserts and side items are under $10.  Other items range from $23-$40.  Here’s some grub we ate from their à la carte dinner menu.

Before getting into Arnaud's spectacular creole cuisine, check out how they make their Cafe Brulot made with coffee, lemon and orange rinds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange curacao flamed with brandy.  History Fact: founded in 1918, Arnaud's was closed for a time for serving alcohol mixed with coffee during the Prohibition Era. (VIDEO)

In the background: Me asking questions, Emily saying woowww, Jonel eating

Escargots en Casserole (REAL SNAILS):  yummy, buttery, chewy, tasty, love it!

Oysters Arnaud, Crawfish O’Connor, Frog Legs Provençale: All of these were winners! Don't be scared to try the fried frog legs. Frog legs are delicious and taste like chicken.

 
Praline Crepes, Crème Brûlée, Chocolate Devastation (flourless chocolate cake)

Great desserts.  Arnaud's might have the best flourless chocolate cake this side of the Mississippi!

____________

Try Arnaud's signature dish Soufle Potatoes (already fried potatoes plunged into extremely hot oil), Filet Mignon Charlemond with mushroom & bearnaise sauce.....and Cafe Brulot to sip and enjoy made of coffee, lemon and orange rinds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange curacao flamed with brandy (video above).

RESTAURANT & FUN NAVIGATION GUIDE (Parts 1-7)

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part I: COURT OF TWO SISTERS

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part II: ARNAUD'S

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part III:TUJAGUES

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part IV: NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part V: STEAMBOAT NATCHEZ

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VI: LE RICHELIEU HOTEL

Mardi Gras Restaurant & Fun Guide Part VII: CAFE DU MONDE