Check out Chow.com’s list of 10 things to cheaply outfit your kitchen:

When you think about outfitting your kitchen with professional tools, you might imagine a commercial-grade oven that spits out half a million BTUs or a $2,000 set of knives hand-forged by alpine elves. Ask chefs, and they’ll probably tell you that many of the tools they can’t do without are small and can be picked up for under $10 apiece.

Halloween has come early this year (or just in time for Purim). This how-to tip on Curbly is obviously inspired by the Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead movies - make your own chainsaw arm.

Chow.com has 10 kick-ass variations on hot chocolate that seem like the perfect respite from the latest cold snap. Recipes are included.

Let’s get something straight: Hot chocolate and hot cocoa are not the same. Hot chocolate is made with real chocolate; hot cocoa is a watered-down version based on cocoa powder. You’ll understand the difference once you savor this indulgent recipe for basic hot chocolate. Then try your hand at any of these riffs.

DYI Life (which is a handy site by the way) has some handy advice for a former cop on how to respectfully talk you way out of a ticket. Pop over here for the skinny.

Adult Swim, which is a creative collective of cartoons on the Cartoon Network has a smacktacular compilation of some great indie rock sounds available for free download here. Warm & Scratchy features many b-side, rarities and original tracks from artists like Broken Social Scene; TV on the Radio; The Good, the Bad and the Queen; Liars; and Amusement Parks on Fire. Go get it now!

NPR (National Public Radio - the closest thing the U.S. has to a public radio broadcaster) has an amazing concert series available for download on their website. The line up is just dripping with amazing artists. Recent concerts include Peter Bjorn and John, the Arcade Fire, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Ray Lamontagne (a big favourite of mine), Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and Cat Power. I cannot think of a better way to spend a day.

How garlic can help get rid of a bad odour, as posted on Curbly by infekta:

One day a specific area in my apartment smelled like a dead mouse….My mother suddenly recalled something my grandmother once said: “peel the shell from the garlic and cut it in to little pieces and put it where you think the smell is coming from”.

Said and done, and within a few hours the odour was gone. Thank goodness, I couldn’t stand the smell… This has happened twice now and each time at different locations. It’s really weird.

Has anyone of you experienced something like this?

Ps. If it still smells when the garlic has dried (it will sooner or later) all you have to do is to cut off the dry parts and you can use them again…

Head on over to your favorite Starbucks today between 10 am and noon to get a free tall cup of coffee. Enjoy the lines!

Here is something for all of us wage earners, Askmen.com has a useful guide on how to be a part of the private jet scene and get access to your own.

Owning your own aircraft may seem like the ideal solution if you’re a frequent flyer, however, there’s more to it than making sure it has a safe parking hangar at the end of the day.

You must take into consideration the cost of continually rising fuel prices, general maintenance and repairs and, of course, a pilot. Just like a car, a private jet requires a great deal of attention in order to run properly. Unlike a car, however, should you have a problem along the way due to neglect, it’s not as easy to pull over onto the shoulder and fix the issue.

Like the online companies that sell planes, there are also online jet maintenance and cleaning companies that offer package deals and rates. Should your flight hours exceed 50 a month, it truly is in your best interest to invest the money and time into your aircraft.

Are you new to yoga, or thinking about getting into it? If so, here are some useful tips and starting guides:

- Tips for Yoga Beginners from Prevention Magazine;
- Some tips on taking your first yoga class and how to prepare;
- Some background on the different types of yoga and yoga gurus;
- More about yoga styles and what equipment/props are used in yoga.

Curbly has this excellent ‘expert advice’ feature on how to best present your home in order to parlay the tricks of the trade into a higher selling price. Pop over here to read about how you can make it happen.

Use this guide to determine which style of sunglasses are appropriate for the shape of your face.

via linkbunnies

Eating foods that are high in fiber is good for your belly: it helps you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. Wait, make that your belly and your ticker. Find out though if taking fiber supplements is a good idea.

Here is a handy tip from the folks over at Bob Villa’s website, how to estimate how much paint you will need for a given job. This seems like an obvious, but likely forgotten, step to do before a paint job.

One final tip: It is better to buy more paint than you think you will need than to run out before the job is done. Purchasing all your paint at once will help ensure can-to-can color consistency, and save time on trips to the store. If you have leftover paint, you can always use it for touch-ups. Unused and unopened paint may be returned for credit, unless it is a custom color.

Women’s Health has a great piece on why yoghurt is a great food to eat (this applies to women and men btw).

Your digestive tract houses much of your immune system, a complex constellation of cells and tissues that fight pathogenic organisms that can make you sick. Having more of the beneficial organisms there may help prevent illness: They protect you both by stunting the growth of the nasty ones on the spot and by forcing them out, essentially taking all the free seats in the digestive tract; the bad guys just have to move on, ultimately exiting your system. When the number of good bugs drops — for example, after a course of antibiotics, which kills many of the good guys as well as the bad — you might be more likely to get sick. And as you age, your natural levels of beneficial bacteria decrease. But swallowing ‘em can help get you healthy, plus stop trouble before it starts.

Changing your car’s air filter is something that should be done in regular intervals. Why? Because a clogged or dirty, air filter can cause your vehicle to run rough, idle rough and reduce gas mileage. Plus it is something that you can do yourself.

What do you have to do? First, go to an autoparts store and buy a new filter that fits your car’s size (check the manual). Then try to follow the instructions from any of these documents:

- Edmunds.com’s how to guide (about mid-way through the page - there is also a video)

- Ehow.com’s guide

- About.com’s auto repair guide

Good luck!

(c) chow.com

For those who cook with cast iron cookware, specifically skillets, Chow.com has this marvellous guide on how to season (i.e. make the skillet non-stick) and care for your cookware.

The Windsor Knot seems to be a favourite knot of a many tie-wearer. For those who are unfamiliar with tying the knot, here are a few helpful resources:

- Tie-a-Tie.net’s Windsor knot page

- Canadian upscale men’s retailer Harry Rosen’s how-to page

- Brite Ties how-to page

Or there is this video on a full Windsor.

Pop over to this page on Curbly to find instructions on how to fold a paper rose. As a bonus there is a how-to-video. Perfect for Valentine’s day.

Table Manners is a wonderful advice column by Helena Echlin over at Chow.com on, you guessed it, table manners. In this week’s installment the question is:

Is it acceptable to finish the food left on the plates of your fellow diners? Let’s assume we’re among friends.—Hungryman

Pop over to the page to find out the answer.