SURVIVAL MANBOOK
BE THE KING OF YOUR CASTLE
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Survival Tips worth knowing...
TABLE OF CONTENTS • LEAVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME? PG 4-5 • ROOM SETS THAT FIT ANY BUDGET PG 6-7 • NINE CHARACTERISTICS WOMEN REALLY WANT PG 8-11 • MANTIQUES PG 14-15 • GADGETS PG 16-17 • KITCHEN ESSENTIALS PG 18-19 • SECRET RECIPES PG 20 • WHAT’S YOUR BEEF? PG 21 • HOW TO BUY YOUR FIRST PIECE OF ART PG 22-23 • BACHELOR’S MEDICINE CABINET PG 24-25
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Leaving Home for the first time? Moving out of the dorm?
Graduating from college, leaving home for the first time or moving out of the dorm? This is what to look for and what to avoid when searching for a new bachelor pad for the first time. Some of this advice is common sense and some of it has been figured out the hard way. • Appliances: Take a look at the age and condition of the appliances like the oven, dishwasher or refrigerator. The condition of the appliances can tell a lot about how the apartment complex is run. If the appliances are fairly new, that’s a good sign. If they are pushing 2 decades, on the other hand, then that may indicate just the lack of enthusiasm that the management company has for their apartments. • Parking: How much guest parking is there? This is very important if you entertain a lot, have friends visiting your place or even have a significant other spending the night. Some apartment complexes don’t have any guest parking. You don’t want your significant other having to park on the street or in a pay lot. • Current residents: Ask who lives around you (older working professional, students, etc...). You might find a great apartment, but if it’s around older people who don’t like noise then you will want to reconsider choosing to live there. • How much are the utilities? This is extremely important to know for budgeting purposes. Ask what average electrical bill and utility bills are. Also, keep in mind you’ll be paying for cable or satellite and internet services. Your bills for your apartment can easily go over $200 a month. • Walking distance to restaurants, convenience shops, and bars: Being able to live close to anyone of these is a huge bonus. Especially if it’s a bar, walk there and crawl home. • Amenities: Some apartment complexes offer gyms, dry cleaning services, free morning coffee. Don’t be suckered into renting a place that has a crappy gym because you want to save 30 bucks a month. • Pool and hot tub/spa: Renting a place that has a pool is essential. Pools are social places and a great way to meet your neighbors and have BBQ’s/Parties at. Always remember NO GLASS by the pool. Have a party by the pool during the day, and bring the party back to your place for cocktail hour. Also keep in mind what the pool hours are, you don’t want to be at place that shuts the pool down at 8pm every night. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so take your time and spend your money wisely when looking for a new place. It’s an expensive endeavor trying to break a lease early due to a roommate or other issues you have with apartment management.
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Nine Characteristics Women Really Want to see in Your Bachelor Pad A woman notices everything about you. She will notice your clothes, character, smile, and even where you live. All these details make up your “brand,” which is all about sending a consistent message over time. You may be projecting quality energy to a woman and confidently invite her back to your place. Your words may be projecting character, strength, and value. Your environment must reinforce your “brand” that you are desirable. But what is your place “saying?” Is your place a turn-on or turn-off to a woman? You never get a second chance to make a first impression with your place. Don’t leave it to chance! 1. A Clean and Tidy Place Do you have your act together? There is no bigger turn-off to a woman who comes back to your place than seeing a total mess. After that, she will notice your kitchen. Are the stacks of dirty dishes in the sink? And finally the bathroom and bedroom. Is there an unrecognizable odor? A woman is far more sensitive to smells than is a man. This is not a conversation about becoming a neat freak. Women find a clean and tidy place appealing. They don’t want to feel like your mother and have to clean up after you. 2. Furniture You have a tool set in your garage, and you need a furniture set in your place. Your furniture needs to project quality to women. A cheap sofa purchased from your uncle just isn’t going to cut it! A room of furniture that is just thrown together isn’t going to work either. Each piece of furniture needs to be carefully selected to build a complete theme. Every piece of furniture in each room should work together to create the look and feel you want. Whether you prefer a modern or transitional look, the furniture in your place should project confidence and quality. 3. Painting and Artwork Painting is one of the most underrated decorating tools. You can have the perfect furniture, rugs, and artwork, but all can be lost to poor paint color. You are looking for consistency. Remember, your place reflects your personal brand and your personality. 4. Make a Clean Sweep! Any article left behind by another woman who has visited your place will be a disaster! Items that are left behind are earrings, hair ties, or articles of clothing. Don’t forget to check under your bed and get rid of these items.
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5. Clean Linens The linens go on the bed you’ll be sharing with your woman. Quality is key. Look for linens with a thread count of at least 400. Do not buy linens that are made from synthetic fabrics that itch. Natural fabrics like cotton offer superior comfort and are easier to wash. You wouldn’t dream of driving your car without having a spare tire in the trunk. Always make sure you have a clean backup set of linens in your closet whether you want to be intimate or not. And, also, make sure you have clean and matching towels. 6. Hand Soap, Clean Hand Towels, and Toilet Paper Hotels make sure the guest bathrooms have toilet paper, tissues, hand soap, and clean hand towels. Your lady is your guest. Treat her accordingly! 7. Something Living Can you be nurturing? Prove it! Plants are a perfect way to demonstrate that you are responsible and can take care of something living. 8. Refreshment You invited your lady over to your place so be the host. Take the lead! Offer her a choice of refreshment. Perhaps you can share a bottle of white wine or enjoy some vodka together. Your date may not like the beer choices in your fridge, so give her choices of refreshment. 9. Have a Playlist What’s on your playlist? Music is a great way to set a mood and make moments together more pleasurable. Make sure you have some music for her when she comes over. The more romantic the music, the better. There you have it. Convinced?
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Room sets that fit any budget
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MANTIQUES Every guy needs to spice up their Bachelor Pad a bit. Need some advice, or some examples on how to do it. If you already have the furniture in place your ready to start adding accents, then MAN-TIQUES are the way to go. Yes, mantiques. Manly antiques are a great way to give your bachelor pad a rough and rugged yet sophisticated look. You’ll be sure to impress friends and potential suitors with your worldly collection of goods if you pick out the right pieces. So, here’s a guide: Determine the style of your home. If you live in a modern, urban or country style environment then choose antique accessories that compliment the style and feel of your place. Treat your indoors as you would your outdoors. When landscaping you work with the flow of the yard. Everything doesn’t have to be symmetrical or even match. Same thing with the interior of your residence as well. Work with the flow of the walls and space. Pick interesting pieces that properly accent the desired area. Would you plant a giant bush in front of a door? No. Likewise, don’t put big and obtrusive objects in the way. Less is more. Simplicity is the mother of all beauty. Don’t go overboard. Don’t clutter the space and take the time to plan. One carefully selected piece creates more presence and harmony than 5 random pieces. Element of surprise. Selecting one or two TASTEFUL pieces that pop out will give your place not only a layered look of interest but will broaden your mantique taste. Something wooden among rustic metal pieces for example.
Simplicity and versatility. Keep it simple and chose pieces that will work in different areas. Everybody moves at one point in their life. Why purchase pieces specific to one place and time? Also, try not to buy items too large or too small. Antique thimble collections need to stay at Grandma’s house. Another good tip if you’re not sure how a piece would look in your environment would be to create a replica of the piece and place it in your home. Make a cut-out of approximate size and shape from a piece of paper and place it where you are considering the object. This is also an excellent idea if you plan on hanging pictures. There’s nothing worse than having lopsided and poorly placed art. Making a template and design plan can eliminate this. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This should give you a good start as to the how, where, and why’s of mantiques. As for the what’s, it’s not that simple. Selecting the right pieces has to be up to you. Pick pieces that reflect who you are and what you like. Real antiques are wonderful, but reproduction pieces are even better. They are cheaper, cleaner, and most of the hard work has already been done when it comes to selecting pieces of interest. Some excellent sources for mantique pieces are: Still confused? Just try and picture what James Bond or Don Draper, two of the world’s greatest bachelors would buy. They wouldn’t hang Star Trek or Sports posters on theirs walls and he sure as heck wouldn’t put action figures on their coffee table. You shouldn’t either.
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GADGETS
Every bachelor pad must have a few essential gadgets. You don’t need a rotating bed, or a disco ball that drops from your ceiling, or a robot that can mix martinis to impress people; you may just scare them away. Gadgets are there to make our life easier, and impress guests. Some gadgets are complex, and some simple. Below is a list of easily attainable and practical gadgets everyman should have to impress, and live well. Universal remote This remote does away with other controllers and therefore leaves less clutter on your coffee table. You’ll also be spending less money on batteries. The universal remote is a very under appreciated piece of equipment, but very helpful when you need to switch from your TV, game console, TIVO, to the radio, to the CD player. Before buying make sure that all your components are compatible. Portable Speakers When you need to take your play list from the inside, to the outside, from the living room to your bedroom, or pool side to the beach you need a portable speaker that uses batteries. You don’t always want to be searching for electrical outlets, or carrying extension cords around with you. Hamper Having a hamper is the least technological gadget you’ll ever own. However, it is one gadget that should be used on a daily basis. A hamper conceals your dirty clothes, and allows you to easily take them to get washed. If you don’t have a hamper where would put your clothes? Choose a hamper that has masculine look to it, and compliments your bedroom furniture, has a lid (to keep any odors from escaping), a removable liner that you can easily take your dirty clothes to the laundry room in. A divided Hamper is a nice to have, but not a must. It allows you to separate dirty casual clothes from your dry cleaning.
Blender A blender is a rarely used, but a highly sought after piece of equipment when you need to make a large quantity of mixed drinks very quickly. Just don’t forget to have plenty of ice available. Additionally, many blenders now have the ability to blend so rapidly that they act as juicers. If you are really into nutrition (and all of us should be) you already know the benefits of juicing. A decent blender, one that will last a several years, and do its job will cost a bit, but will worth it. Wine fridge A wine fridge? Yes, you may be at a certain time in your life where your drink of choice may only be beer or mixed drinks, over time you will graduate to wine. Even if you don’t you’ll be entertaining and your guests will want wine. Fancy wine opener, and unusual bottle opener
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KITCHEN ESSENTIALS Every guy who truly claims to be independent and on his own, needs to at a minimum be able to boil water and fry an egg. Cooking basics are essential because a little cooking know-how goes a long way in a pinch when you are A) hungry (duh…) and B) trying to impress someone. Let’s start with basics. There are the basic items every bachelor living on his own out there needs in his kitchen. Sharp Knife You will thank yourself when you are chopping vegetables or slicing meat. It doesn’t matter if you have one single knife or an arsenal, as long as you are comfortable with it… just keep it sharp. This does include using steak knives. When it comes to purchasing a knife a knife set do not spend less than $50 on a set, you may think you are getting a great deal by 10+ knives, but the quality will be poor. They’ll rust within a year, and blade will not remain sharp. Go with with a well known cutlery manufacturer like J.A. Henckles or Wusthof. They’ve been making knives for over a 100 years, so they know what they are doing. Cutting boards Having two cutting boards is essential. When you are cooking a big meal you’ll need one for veggies, and the other for chicken and meat. You don’t want cross contamination food. Or if you have a roommate chances are one of the cutting boards will always be in the dishwasher when you need it the most. Cookware We are going to need something to cook these scrumptious meals in… right? I recommend having at the minimum: A 1 qt. and 2 qt. size pots that you can boil water in for pasta, rice, maybe a nice soup. Optimally they should have lids as well. There are Teflon coated and steel versions of the pots and pans; I would personally recommend the latter. I think you get better flavor out of steel pans. The advantage to the Teflon coating is that it is non-stick and it is harder to burn things in it, which for beginners is good. The only issue is that the coating wears off. Do some research on which cookware would work better for you. Below are some great choices depending upon how much you cook, and what you want to spend. A sauté or frying pan This all-purpose piece of equipment will for fill in for a variety of tasks from making sauce, to stir frying and making breakfast. Make sure you always buy one that comes with a lid, its worth extra money! Mixing bowl At least one, but two or more is ideal. These bowls work great for putting chips or other snacks in while you entertain. Baking try and/ or dish If you want to a casserole/lasagna/Nachos/brownies/cookies or baking pasta you will need these items! These trays or dishes can be versatile and having one will greatly expand the dishes you’ll be able to create. Fat By fat I mean oil or butter, or whatever sort of product you choose too aid in cooking foods. Fat aids in not burning food, but also adds its distinct flavors… both good things. Keep some around and it could help in all sorts of situations. Don’t hesitate to have few different olive oils, one for basic cooking, and the other for making dressings with.
Easy Pesto Pasta Ingredients ½ clove garlic , chopped sea salt freshly ground black pepper 3 good handfuls fresh basil , leaves picked and chopped 1 handful pine nuts , very lightly toasted 1 good handful Parmesan cheese , freshly grated extra virgin olive oil Method Pound the garlic with a little pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar, or pulse in a food processor. Add a bit more garlic if you like, but I usually stick to ½ a clove. Add the pine nuts to the mixture and pound again. Turn out into a bowl and add half the Parmesan. Stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency. Season to taste, then add most of the remaining cheese. Pour in some more oil and taste again. Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency. You may like to add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to give it a little twang, but it’s not essential. Try it with and without and see which you prefer.
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S E P I C E R ET
R C E S Twice baked Potatoes
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Wash two russet potatoes under cold water Poke 4 small holes with a fork (this is done so the potato won’t explode) on each potato Rub olive oil all over each potato Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes Cut each potato in half and scoop out the innards creating a “canoe” Place the innards in a bowl and mix in ¼ cup of milk, add ½ cup of cheddar cheese, ½ cup of blue cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 clove of minced garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper, sea salt, ground black pepper and mix together until smooth Spoon the filling back into the potato shell Bake at 350 for 20 minutes Considering adding bacon bits to the filling, or sprinkling cheddar cheese on top filling prior to baking the potato again. Baked Lamb Chops Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Add a table spoon olive oil to the a baking dish and spread around Put the lamb chops on a baking sheet Season both sides slightly with sea salt and ground black pepper Bake for 40 – 45 minutes Allow the lamb chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil Chop 4 to 5 inches from the bottom of the asparagus off Wrap a piece of thick center cut bacon around 3 to 4 pieces of asparagus Place bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven Bake for 40 minutes rotating every 10 minutes Serve warm Baked Salmon Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Rinse salmon (Wild caught is ideal) fillet with cold water and pat dry Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the top of a sheet of aluminum foil Season with ground black pepper, slightly salt, and add minced garlic or dried garlic flakes Place on top olive oil and wrap the aluminum foil tightly Bake for 12 to 15 minutes Careful opening the aluminum foil, you don’t want the steam to burn your fingers Considering adding shrimp and small scallops to the top of filet, add another 5 minutes to the baking time. Or. use a marinade, many great ones can be found at your grocery store. Keep in mind to marinade and refrigerate the fillet for an hour, and baking time increases 35 to 45 minutes.
How To Buy Your First Piece of Art By Faith Towers There are certain bachelor pad essentials that top the list, and a great piece of art is one of them. There’s a point when posters no longer seem appropriate, but maybe you’re not ready to invest $2,000 in a painting. Lucky for you, there are many options available online these days that will help you find that middle ground. Buying art can be intimidating. You may think that you need millions of dollars to be a collector. Or maybe you think that you have to know the entire history of art to be a buyer. Well, this just isn’t the case. So drop all of your preconceived notions about buying art and read on to find out how you can purchase your very own piece of unique artwork to dress up your walls. Establish your preferred style. Do you gravitate toward modern oil paintings? Or perhaps you have a penchant for portrait photography? The best way to figure out what you like is to spend some time admiring all types of art and see which you are most drawn to. Head to the nearest art museum and devote some time to just looking. Reflect on what sort of style speaks to you, and also what medium; for example, an abstract oil painting will have a very different feel than a photorealistic watercolor painting. Once you have narrowed down the style and medium that you’re attracted to, try to pinpoint exactly what it is that interests you in a particular piece. That is another factor that may help you identify prospective artists. Once you have narrowed down the style and medium that you’re attracted to, try to pinpoint exactly what it is that interests you in a particular piece. That is another factor that may help you identify prospective artists.
Set a budget and stick to it. Generate your budget first, and then work to find pieces within that range. Otherwise, it may be tempting to spend more than you should. It is also wise to start with relatively inexpensive art until you are fully in tune with your own taste. There’s no sense in dropping $800 on a piece of modern sculpture if you’re going to decide that traditional oil paintings work better in your bachelor pad after 3 months of owning the piece. Now start searching. Once you’ve ascertained your style and budget, it’s time to start actively looking for art. The hardest part is knowing where to look – so we’ve made it easy on you. Here are five sites to try: 1. Zatista.com makes buying art easy with multiple search options and a very large selection. 2. ArtStar.com offers limited edition prints at an affordable price. 3. Etsy.com has a large inventory with many different ways to search. 4. Artspace.com collaborates with museums and galleries to find the best art from around the world. They have a large database to fit any budget. 5. Ugallery.com sells emerging and mid-level art, and buyers can try out the artwork for a week to ensure that they are happy with their purchase. There is one crucial rule when narrowing down potential options - trust your taste. Buy what you love. Pay attention to your subconscious, because it’s probably trying to tell you something. In addition, it is always important to consider where you’ll display your art collection. Ideally, the style you pick will complement your existing bachelor pad furniture and fit in nicely with your décor. Artwork is an essential part of any bachelor pad layout, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You just have to know where to look, and how to begin. Hopefully these tips have provided you with the information and confidence to go out and buy the perfect piece of art for your home.
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Must haves for every Bachelors MEDICINE CABINET Living on your own you has many responsibilities: feeding yourself, clothing yourself, paying your bills, cleaning your bachelor pad, and taking care of yourself physically. On average, most of us get sick at least once a year and spend a day or two in bed. Once you begin your career, you’ll find missing a day at the office isn’t good: email builds up, meetings are missed, voice mails go unanswered, projects begin to lag, and co-workers can become frustrated. By being prepared with some basic supplies in your bachelor pad, you can significantly reduce the number of days that you otherwise spend being sick. Once sick, you won’t want to venture out to get these items, unless you really have to. The basics to this “medical cabinet” are: 1: Pain Killers (Tylenol, Advil, or Bayer) You work hard, and you play hard. You get bruises, soreness, headaches and maybe a toothache throughout the year. You should not have to suffer when there is over the counter pain medication available to help you through these aches and pains.
2: Flu medicine A: Night time (NyQuil, Robitussin, or Threaflu) B: Day time (NyQuil, Robtusioon, or Threaflu) Your throat begins to swell or feel scratchy, you feel a headache coming on, and your body doesn’t feel 100%. You are either hung over, or possibly you are starting to catch a cold or have the flu. Don’t let these symptoms get you down. Fight back by getting plenty of rest, washing your hands to avoid spreading germs (to co-worker or roommates), hydrate yourself, take cold and flu medication for your symptoms, and do your best to eat healthy foods. 3: Back relief (heat pads) Lifting heavy items improperly, carrying heavy items for extended periods of time, sleeping in awkward positions, or straining your back while playing sports may cause enough discomfort to really limit you. Shorten your symptoms with anti-inflammatories like Advil and use cold packs. Once the pain and inflammation have subsided, you will want to have a heating pad available to promote mobility. 4: Anti-Diarrhea (Imodium AD) It is better to have and not want, than to want and not have. Keep a few pills in your car, your briefcase, dopp kit, and at home. You never know when it will strike, when it does, you’ll want to be prepared. Otherwise things could get messy. 5: Allergy relief (Claritin or Zyrtec) I never had allergies growing up, but after turning 30 these symptoms came twice a year. Stuffy noise that was also runny, dry eyes, and really dry skin affected me for weeks in the Spring and Fall. Without these medications to control my seasonal allergies, getting through the work day would have been difficult, and weekends would be a lot less fun. 6: Thermometer One of the best ways to tell if you are having a fever is using thermometer. It also can show if your fever is getting worse or subsiding. 7: Cold pack Cold packs are great for strains, pains, migraine headaches, or to reduce swelling in a sore joint. Always keep them in the freezer so they will be ready when you need them. They also work great for wrapping around beers to chill them quickly. 8: Soup There is nothing worse being sick, and not having food in the house. Delivery works, but it can become very expensive. Have a few cans of soup stored away. It’s easy to make and makes cleaning up after a meal simple. Just be mindful of the expiration date. 9: Fluids Have at least two bottles of Gatorade, Powerade, or coconut water horded away for when you fall ill. One of the best ways to recover from a cold or flu is to make sure you are well hydrated. Water is great, but it does not have the electrolytes your body needs to help you recover quickly. We kept the list as simple as possible for what items you need for your “modern medicine” cabinet. These are just our ideas for what to have in your bachelor pad. You know better than us what works and what doesn’t for your body.
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