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<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockA Montauk clambake always has plenty of lobster.</div></div></div>A traditional New England clambake involves layering seaweed, rocks, and seafood in a big bonfire pit in the sand, which, for a first-timer, is probably going to end in disaster. For the uninitiated, a boil is an infinitely better idea - and you can still do it over a bonfire on the beach and call it a clambake. In the Hamptons beachtown of Montauk, New York, they do the clambake a little different. Montaukians and <a href="http://navybeach.com/" target="_blank">Navy Beach</a> seafood restaurant owners (and couple) Franklin Ferguson and Leyla Marchetto say the secret to a great Hamptons clambake is to brine everything overnight and finish the lobster and vegetables on the grill (or a bonfire with a grill grate overtop). Ferguson was nice enough to give us the 411 on how to cook a Montauk-style clambake for two on the beach or at home. <h3>Ingredients</h3>2 whole lobsters 6 shrimp (shell-on) 2 ears of local corn 6 small red potatoes 6 mussels 6 clams 1 bottle dry white wine 1 cup sugar 1 cup sea salt 1 whole pimento or cherry pepper 1 bay leaf 2 sticks butter (1 for stock, 1 for melted butter sauce) 1 shallot, cut into wheels 4 cloves garlic Extra sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper for seasoning Supplies if you're cooking on the beach: 1 potato-size, smooth beach stone, 1 Duraflame log, barbecue grate, firewood, matches, 1 large stock pot, 1 small pot (for the butter sauce), and of course, servingware, a cooler with cold drinks, and anything else you might want. <h3>STEP 1: Soak lobster, shrimp, potatoes, and corn in a brine overnight. </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Shutterstock"The brine infuses moisture into the food, which aids with both flavor and helps prevent drying out if finishing on the grill or open flame," says Ferguson.</div></div></div>The night before your clambake, make your brine, or "tea," as Ferguson calls it, by bringing 4 quarts water, 1 cup each sugar and sea salt, pimento (your supermarket may label it as a cherry pepper), and bay leaf to a boil in a large pot. Once the tea comes to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cool it down before adding the whole lobsters, shrimp, corn, and potatoes. <h3>STEP 2: Drain the seafood and, if cooking on the beach, pack it into a cooler with the other ingredients and supplies. </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockOf course you're going to need clams.</div></div></div>The next day, drain your brined seafood and pack it in a cooler along with the wine, butter, shallot, garlic, mussles, clams, and extra sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper. Bring the bonfire and cooking supplies mentioned above, too. If cooking at home, simply drain your brined seafood, put it back in the now-empty pot you used for the brine, and move on to step three. <h3>STEP 3: Build a bonfire (or light up a burner on your stove) and fill a pot with all your clambake ingredients.</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockFerguson says finishing the lobster, potatoes, and corn over the heat of the fire gives a "beautiful charred flavor and texture."</div></div></div>Bonfire instructions: To build a bonfire, dig a shallow hole, put the Duraflame log in the center and cover it with firewood, light it, and lay your barbecue grate on top. After that's done - or after you've simply turned a nob on your stove at home - fill the pot with the wine, 1 stick butter, 4 whole garlic cloves, shallot wheels, and salt and pepper to taste. If cooking on the beach, drop a beach stone into the bottom of the pot first. It'll help retain the heat inside the pot.Add all of your seafood and vegetables into the pot and cook until the clams and mussels open. At that point you can remove the pot from the heat and take out the lobster and veg, which won't be fully cooked yet. <h3>STEP 4: Finish the lobster, potatoes and corn over the grill grate (or on your backyard grill if you're at home) and melt some butter for dipping. </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockLay the lobster on the grill shell side down.</div></div></div>Cut the lobster in half from nose to tail and section off a portion of the grill grate with no open flame. Lay the lobster shell side down and add the potatoes and corn as well. While that's cooking throw the extra stick of butter in the small pot with some salt and pepper - this will be your dipping sauce. If cooking at home, just fire up your grill to finish the lobster and veg. <h3>STEP 5: FEAST! </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockFresh squeezed lemon juice will cut the richness of the butter.</div></div></div>Scoop the broth and shellfish into a bowl and top with vegetables and lobster. And dip everything in melted butter. Ferguson also recommends a glass of Breezette rosé, the house blush wine at Navy Beach. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sharks-spotted-coast-england-2015-7">People were baffled by 50 sharks circling in shallow waters off the English coast</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="R1c2tjdjrwFAGrHUqd0W71KfHPLzHONw" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

How to cook a Montauk-style clambake on the beach or at home in 5 simple steps

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Misuse of perks has pervaded Big Tech, as Meta's recent 'Grubgate' episode highlighted.</li><li>Big Tech's lavish perks culture led to entitlement and rule-bending among some employees.</li></ul>For more than a decade, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/big-tech">Big Tech</a> companies doled out lavish <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-office-perks-ski-trips-massages-meals-list-2023-2">perks</a> to hire and retain a limited supply of technical talent — and some workers pushed the limits of these benefits."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-employees-react-grubhub-meal-credit-firings-2024-10">Grubgate</a>," where Meta <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-fires-employees-abusing-grubhub-meal-credit-perk-2024-10">fired staff</a> for misusing meal vouchers, shows how engrained perks-grifting became in Silicon Valley, but also how the era of pampered tech employees may be ending.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-firms-laying-off-employees-again-efficiency-amazon-google-2024-1">Cost-cutting</a>, huge layoffs, and the use of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-goose-ai-model-language-ai-coding-2024-2">AI</a> have put tech employers in a more powerful position. Hiring has also slowed, with tech job postings about 30% below pre-pandemic levels, according to job site Indeed. That, in turn, means fewer perks."In the 2010 to 2021 days, it was very much like employees were in charge," said a former Instagram staffer. "Then suddenly the tables turned."Business Insider interviewed tech workers and industry experts about Grubgate and the evolving relationship between Big Tech companies and staff. Most people asked not to be identified so they could speak frankly about some of the more egregious perks-grifting that's gone on in Silicon Valley. They also described how layoffs, efficiency drives, and tougher policy enforcement have shifted the culture at once easygoing tech companies.<h2 id="51453fde-23ef-4451-b36f-8b4205447a9f">It started with the entrées</h2>For years, luscious Silicon Valley "campus" spaces offered workers fancy food, exercise classes, laundry, and even massages, all on the company dime.Google kicked things off with high-quality free food in the early 2000s. It now has dozens of cafes at the Googleplex in Mountain View and in offices around the world offering an array of free meals cooked by chefs with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-jamie-olivers-top-chefs-is-now-working-for-google-2016-6">fine-dining experience</a>.Things gathered pace from there as Facebook and other emerging tech giants began competing hard for talent.Perks became so expected that such benefits stopped being highlighted in job postings across the sector, according to Allison Shrivastava, associate economist at Indeed's Hiring Lab.<h2 id="1330d176-8353-4d90-b415-2e0c1403bb0c">Hacking the perk system</h2>In a culture of moving fast and breaking things, it was perhaps inevitable some staffers hacked the system.In 2022, Meta banned employees from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/benefits/facebooks-parent-company-meta-cutting-perks-for-employees/399035">bringing in Tupperware</a> because too many had been stocking up on free food and taking it home with them. Even then, employees invented workarounds."They got clued up on people taking food home, so people would start bringing their family in," for meals on campus, said a former Google employee, who worked at the company for five years. (Google's policy also states that employees can't take food from its cafeteria home.)In the Grubgate episode from earlier in October, Meta <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-fires-employees-abusing-grubhub-meal-credit-perk-2024-10">fired</a> several employees after they misused Grubhub vouchers to order nonfood items like laundry detergent, acne pads, and wine glasses.Food isn't the only in-house luxury where employees tested the boundaries."I used the laundry expense — yes, do my own clothing, but also my spouse's clothing. It's one big laundry hamper at the end of the day. Am I supposed to use it for my spouse's laundry? I don't know, but that kind of thing seems very minor," said a former US Meta employee who was offered a clothes-washing credit because they worked at an office with no on-site laundry.Meta briefly nixed its in-house laundry service in 2023 before reinstating it — though it's now no longer free.The use of voucher-based perks was long established at tech companies with offices that couldn't cater for food and other services. These sorts of benefits ballooned during the COVID-induced work-from-home era as employers looked to maintain employee morale.Over at Snap, the company used to offer employees Snapchat-yellow-branded cash cards loaded with an allowance for a daily meal. "It could be used anywhere — so yes, people used to save it up during the week and blow it on a big shop," said a former Snap UK employee.<h2 id="6075ba1e-765c-46ab-ac39-f94ef3ba98c6">A $2,600 travel pass ruse</h2>A senior Meta employee who left last year recalls former colleagues claiming a $2,600 annual travel pass to get the receipt to expense, only to then instantly refund their tickets.A $3,000 a year "wellness stipend" — meant to cover costs for employees' physical and mental health and care for their families — was exchanged for Nintendo Switch consoles by other staffers, he said.A $25-a-month advertising credit given to employees to test and improve their skills on Facebook Ad Manager was instead sold for $20 cash, he added."It was just kind of normal. Oh, you're getting an Uber Eats, you throw stuff in. It wasn't like you felt you were cheating," said the former Instagram employee. "You feel like that's your money."<h2 id="dff5050e-64c2-453b-801c-91a664734b08">A growing sense of entitlement</h2>Some say that all this pampering of tech employees led to a growing sense of entitlement, which allowed some to think they could push the limits of what was acceptable when it came to perks."Google would give out Christmas presents, the latest phone or something, and I would see people complain about it," the former Googler said.Meta CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theverge.com/23277797/mark-zuckerberg-meta-facebook-employees-pressure">Mark Zuckerberg famously bristled</a> during an all-hands meeting about coming layoffs in 2022 when an employee asked whether the company would continue its COVID-era bonus holidays."People would get angry about the littlest of things in the live comments when Zuck did the company all-hands — the kinds of comments that would get you fired in any other job," said a former Meta employee who left last year. "'How can you cut the laundry benefit?' 'The food is crap now!' etc."<h2 id="affcf9d4-8854-4d15-8c10-dfcd74cce30f">Where to draw the line?</h2>None of the tech workers Business Insider spoke to endorsed expense fraud. Indeed, there are tax consequences for companies and individuals if tax-exempted benefits or vouchers or a specific purpose are used for something else.Many tech workers told BI that companies never really made it clear what was acceptable. Is it ok if your partner stops by late to see you in the office and grabs a French fry from a plate of food that your employer paid for? What about 10 fries, or a whole plate?Patrick Mork, who led marketing for Google Play before leaving in 2013, thinks tech companies have moved too far away from their initial worker-friendly cultures as their focus has turned toward Wall Street's profit expectations. That shift has eroded leadership skills, meaning some employees aren't clear on their company's values and rules, he added."Employers don't focus on anything that's not being measured — and what's not being measured is culture, leadership, and values," Mork said.Dilip Rao, CEO of Sharebite, a startup that lets client companies give workers credit cards for meals that only work at approved restaurants, criticized companies for offering easily abusable perks to workers then penalizing them for it. "Why even put somebody in that position?" he said.Grubgate is "a perfect example of a recurring issue," he added. "Obviously it's gained visibility because it happened at Meta. But I got to tell you, this same exact problem happens all the time."He said he's seen other examples of tech employees using company meal vouchers to buy firewood and pet food.<h2 id="5abf862f-fe39-4e31-a101-ebe4603f8f26">Layoffs led to more perks-grifting</h2>Layoffs across the industry have left some employees cynical about the companies they work at, and worried about job security. When you might be let go by a company, you might max out on perks.According to job marketplace Trueup, at least 650,000 tech workers have been cut since the start of 2023."Once the layoffs started, people were focused on spending whatever perks they had as quickly as possible," said the former Meta employee who left last year.Soon there may be fewer perks-grifting opportunities. Alongside industrywide layoffs that began in 2022, many tech companies also trimmed back the benefits on offer.The Big Tech pampering era could soon be over, according to Bruce Daisley, a former vice president at Twitter and YouTube who now coaches leadership teams at large companies on workplace culture."There's a feeling that it became a monster that needed to be killed," Daisley said.

Big Tech workers got too used to perks. The pampering is over.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Martinis have become a symbol of loud luxury in major US cities.</li><li>We tried upscale martinis in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.</li></ul>A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-invented-martinis-2017-6">martini</a> is one of the simplest cocktails there is — it's just vodka or gin (depending who you ask) and vermouth — and yet <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-40-martini-is-in-and-its-giving-loud-luxury-2024-2">bars in various US cities</a> are adding their twist to it by adding foraged ingredients or serving it with a side of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-caviar-cost-where-to-source-how-to-serve-2019-12">caviar</a>, turning a classic drink that can be ordered at most local bars into a luxury experience.Martinis priced from $30 to $150 or more have been increasingly popping up on menus and are perfectly suited to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loud-luxury-items-popular-designer-brands-2024-1">loud luxury</a> trend. Unlike <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loud-budgeting-trend-backlash-against-quiet-luxury-2024-1">quiet luxury</a>, which involves being more subtle with how much you're spending, loud luxury means <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expensive-drinks-rich-people-order-luxury-bars-bartenders-2024-8">splurging and not being afraid to show it</a>.Cue: fancy drinks served on special little trays with sides like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-is-caviar-so-expensive-2018-2">caviar</a> that turn heads as they move through a bar or restaurant."Yes, it is a luxury martini, and what really makes it luxury is the caviar-stuffed olive on the side," Trevin Hutchins, a bar director at San Francisco's Aphotic, which sells a $30 martini and makes the cocktail tableside, told Business Insider. "Otherwise, it's a pretty classic martini."BI tried five martinis in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, ranging from $30 to $52, and was surprised to find that some actually warranted the price tag.<h2 id="bc9df47d-b966-4307-9daa-cbdef0796ea7">Dante, Los Angeles: $52</h2><div type="image" title="Belini with caviar and a martini" height="2268" width="3024" msid="113365525" hostid="261" sizebytes="340448"></div>In Los Angeles, we went to the fancy side of town to try the Caviar Martini at Dante, the West Coast outpost of the long-standing New York City café and craft cocktail bar. Located on the rooftop of the Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel, Dante is the kind of place you'd expect to get fancy cocktails.The menu description for the $52 Caviar Martini included Grey Goose, toasted rye, white peppercorn, dolin blanc, bitters, and 14 grams of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lab-grown-caviar-meat-biotech-2023-1">caviar</a>. It was served on a pretty silver tray with a small tin of Calvisius caviar over ice and five blinis — tiny pancakes often served with caviar.Dante told BI that the martini was "based on the Russian tradition of enjoying ice-cold vodka alongside caviar."The drink tasted a little <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/martini">sweet with a malty flavor</a>, unlike a traditional martini — but it was really good and came with a pleasantly surprising amount of delicious caviar, making the price seem justified.Overall, the drink was a genuinely fun, luxurious treat and seemed worth the price.<h2 id="3983b5ff-b98d-4e97-86f8-d80555de24d5">Saltie Girl, Los Angeles: $35</h2><div type="image" title="Martini with sidecar and a tooth pick with a pickled onion and olive with caviar on top." height="2268" width="3024" msid="113365528" hostid="261" sizebytes="397076"></div>At Saltie Girl, the Los Angeles outpost of a popular Boston seafood spot, we tried their namesake martini, the Saltie, which is listed on the menu for $35. The menu description is simple: choice of vodka or gin, Castelvetrano olive, pickled onion, and caviar.We went with gin and were served a classic martini and sidecar on a shiny silver tray and a toothpick with the olive and onion, each with tiny dollops of caviar.The martini itself was solid, but the accompaniments were a bit underwhelming. Serving the caviar on the onion and olive took away from its taste.We were also unknowingly upsold. After choosing gin, the bartender asked what kind and listed a few options, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/best-gin">Monkey 47</a>, which we chose. It turned out that made the martini $47 instead of $35. It seemed strange not to have a set list of ingredients for drinks sold at that price point, which should, in theory, reflect the price of the ingredients used.All in all, this one looked a bit more luxurious than it actually was, and might not be worth it for most people. A better option would be to go for a regular martini and order the Saltie Girl caviar separately if you really wanted some, or just some tinned fish.<h2 id="5d52059e-4172-47ae-a44c-0c59820923a9">Aphotic, San Francisco: $30</h2><div type="image" title="A glass of martini with a side of caviar-stuffed olive" height="3024" width="4032" msid="113365522" hostid="261" sizebytes="441162"></div>Inside an inconspicuously marked black building in San Francisco's SoMa district is Aphotic, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/africas-first-caviar-won-over-michelin-starred-restaurants-2024-4">Michelin-starred</a> seafood restaurant known for its cocktail program and in-house distillery.The restaurant's eponymous martini is made with its signature seaweed gin, vermouth, and manzanilla sherry. On the side is a single olive stuffed with caviar from Tsar Nicoulai, which partnered with Aphotic, Trevin Hutchins, the restaurant's bar director, told BI.Though the ingredients stay close to the classic dry martini, it hardly tasted like one. The botanicals inside the drink gave it a lot of fragrance, and it was salty but not as briny as one would expect from a dirty martini."It has that sort of brininess but not olive brine," Hutchins said. "It's more like an ocean brine."The saltiness of the caviar-stuffed olive complemented the drink's oceanic theme well. Hutchins told BI that he likes to eat the olive as a palette cleanser midway through the drink. The martini is also made tableside for dining guests.At the end, the bartender served a small piece of lychee bon-bon, which removed all the saltiness of the drink. This was not necessary, but it was certainly appreciated.If you're looking for a straightforward martini, this isn't it. But we'd recommend it to any cocktail enthusiast or someone looking to try something different.<h2 id="d656670c-ca16-42fc-96a5-4400c648a18f">Monkey Bar, New York City: $34</h2><div type="image" title="The Monkey Bar Martini at The Monkey Bar in New York City." height="2268" width="3024" msid="113365520" hostid="261" sizebytes="321522"></div>Two blocks east of the Museum of Metropolitan Art in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-de-niro-testifies-trial-uber-martini-nobu-2023-10">Manhattan</a> is Monkey Bar, a dimly lit restaurant where bright yellow walls are adorned with paintings of primates playing cards and frolicking zebras. The establishment is connected to Hotel Elysée, a French-style hotel built in the 1920s that was once frequented by actor Marlon Brando.The restaurant offers various options — including a $74 Añejo Negroni — but we tried the $34 Monkey Bar Martini. The menu's description listed only four ingredients: Ki No Bi gin, Dolin dry vermouth, Castelvetrano olives, and a lemon twist. The olives were served in a small bowl on the side while the bartender fastened the lemon twist on the martini glass.Some gin-based cocktails have earthy flavors, but a Monkey Bar employee told BI the signature drink leaned toward floral, fragrant notes instead. After one sip, we couldn't have agreed more.The Monkey Bar Martini's floral notes were reminiscent of a garden, making it a great summer drink for gin enthusiasts. However, the martini was too dry for our tastes and the floral notes became overwhelming halfway through the cocktail.Although we wouldn't purchase the drink again, we understand how gin lovers might justify the high price point. Ki No Bi gin is a top-shelf alcohol distilled in Kyoto, Japan, where the distillery was named International Gin Producer of the Year in 2018.People who like dry martinis and are willing to pay for high-quality gin will enjoy the Monkey Bar Martini, but a single glass and four olives for $34 is a bit steep for us.<h2 id="6ea04edd-7a1f-4fca-a44b-2f8a75d4baa2">ILIS, New York City: $50</h2><div type="image" title="The Ocean Martini at ILIS is New York City." height="3024" width="3405" msid="113365530" hostid="261" sizebytes="438956"></div>Next, we traveled to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-housing-market-prices-locked-out-renovating-rental-apartments-2024-4">Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood</a> to visit ILIS, a spacious restaurant with an open firewood kitchen at the center and contemporary artwork on the walls.Since opening in October 2023, the restaurant has quickly developed a reputation in the city for its elaborate cocktails and sustainable ingredients. Earlier this year, the restaurant's Citrus Martini garnered shout-outs in major publications like Food &amp; Wine and Grub Street.We initially planned to try the viral $45 Citrus Martini but soon realized the drink was out of season and no longer on the menu. Instead, we tried ILIS's $50 Ocean Martini. The menu listed five ingredients: Ki No Bi K Edition Gin, Iichiko Frasco Shochu, Acid Sugar Kelp, Sea Bean Brine, and beachcomber produce."The Ocean Martini is somewhere between a Gibson and a dirty martini," Bobby Murphy, ILIS's Bar Director, told Business Insider.Murphy acknowledged that some people might balk at the $50 price point, but that's before they realize all the perks that come with the drink. We wholeheartedly agree.A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-you-should-never-do-at-a-bar-bartender">bartender</a> served me a mammoth martini glass before pouring my cocktail tableside, which earned points in my book. The glass appeared big enough to hold at least two portions, which made me feel better about the expense.Unsurprisingly, the martini tasted like the ocean, but in the best way possible — each sip felt like soaking in the sun near the sea while a breeze flitted by. It was one of the most unique flavors we've ever encountered.The foraged ingredients accompanying the martini helped justify the price, even if we were hesitant to taste them initially. The bowl that was served on the side of the drink contained plant-based items like sea caviar, oyster leeks, cured kombu, and sea beans."One of our cooks came in, and he foraged around 10 pounds of sea beans," Murphy said. "It was like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/purdue-pharma-bankruptcy-suit-judge-sackler-family-wealth-2021-5">Scrooge McDuck</a> diving into his gold and coins. I was like, 'I can't believe we have all these.'"Murphy said he was a bit nervous about releasing the Ocean Martini after the success of the Citrus martini, but he's received good feedback from customers so far. He said the restaurant has about 40 portions left after selling around 100 glasses of that cocktail."At the bare minimum, I hope you enjoy it and feel the value in it," he said. "Like, 'that was very interesting and I'm not unhappy about purchasing that.'"Ordering the Ocean Martini is an experience that invites guests to expand their pallets. Given the pour size and the snack, we'd say the price for the Ocean Martini is worth it.

We tried $40 martinis in LA, NY, and SF. They're the epitome of loud luxury, but not all lived up to the price tag.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>My husband and I didn't grow up camping but started doing it with our family in 2020.</li><li>Since then, we've gone on over two dozen trips with our kids. </li></ul>When it comes to a family vacation, there is nothing I love more than cramming our SUV with various gear, driving away from our house in the middle of the city, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/travel/camping-essentials-list">pitching a tent</a>, and sleeping on the ground next to my entire family. The sleep is often mediocre, we all end up smelling a bit ripe by the time we leave, but the time away together surpasses any other travel experience.In the fall of 2020, during the height of pandemic hobby acquisition, our family of four set out on our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solo-road-trip-travel-alone-after-breakup-healing-2024-2">first car camping trip</a>. It's now three years later, and in the time since, we've been on over two dozen camping trips. Despite being woefully ignorant about camping when we first started out, we've learned along the way.We have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/international-travel-with-young-kids-memories-2024-1">collected priceless memories</a> as we learned to fine-tune our packing list, navigate unpredictable weather, and master the art of a morning Dutch oven frittata. I've found the key to camping, or any vacation adventure, is less about coming into the experience with a storehouse of wisdom, and more about having a willingness to learn and grow together.<div type="image" title="Saba Khonsari and her family's campsite at Huntsville State Park." height="3024" width="4032" msid="108182509" hostid="261" sizebytes="2447810"></div><h2>Why my family enjoys camping trips</h2>There's a common parenting truism that says, "Traveling with kids isn't a vacation, it's a trip." I first experienced the accuracy of this saying while on my first vacation as a mom, with my then 22-month-old. Surrounded by a Costa Rican beachside paradise, staying in a comfortable vacation rental, my husband and I were miserable and exhausted.Thanks to a travel-induced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/parenting/four-months-sleep-regression">sleep regression</a>, I didn't sleep longer than 20-minute bursts and woke before dawn each day. Early every morning, I'd haul a bucket of sand toys to the empty beach with my toddler. But in hindsight, it's a sweet memory. Though on a traditional vacation the inevitable hiccups can feel like a threat to relaxation, while camping I can lean into the inevitable chaos of traveling with kids. Where the workload and the fatigue somehow equate to something rejuvenating.<div type="image" title="Saba Khonsari's daughters playing at a lake while car camping." height="3024" width="4032" msid="108182511" hostid="261" sizebytes="2171336"></div>The simple things, like walking to the bathroom, become an opportunity to chat together and stand in awe over how big and bright and low the moon is hanging. Typically tedious tasks, like preparing a meal or washing dishes, become an adventure when they're done over a campfire and alongside beautiful scenery. Maybe it's the muted expectations, but I have found being outside, even for a night or two, is enough to rest and reset. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/traveled-cross-country-in-camper-van-family-toddler-2023-10">Camping is the kind of trip</a> I sometimes prepare for with apprehension, and always come back already planning for the next one.Camping is also wildly affordable. Every time I plan another type of trip, even from the beginning, the costs add up. When I start searching for flights, the sticker shock of multiplying that number by four always gets me. Not to mention car rentals, someplace to sleep, food, and, heaven forbid, excursions or entertainment of any variety. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-able-take-month-road-trip-with-my-family-2022-3">When we camp</a>, it's much cheaper.A tent site at a state park often only costs us around $12. A cabin in the summertime is still a fraction of the price of a hotel. Food is also inexpensive. Even treats like campfire nachos and dump cake baked over the campfire set us back less than our regular grocery runs. When it comes to entertainment, almost everything is included. Hiking, swimming, bird watching. The biggest splurge might be a kayak rental or extra firewood. It is easy to fall prey to thinking you get what you pay for, but sometimes the budget trips are the best.<h2>The simplicity gives us more time to connect</h2>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/simple-family-vacations-better-than-luxury-travel-2024-2">simplicity of camping</a> is essential to its joy. In the real world, even brief escapes, like museums or parks, are tinged by accessibility. In the woods, cell phone reception is often diminished, and by being forced to unplug, you realize that you don't have to respond to everything the second you read it.I regress to the early 2000s version of myself, OK with waiting a day — or even two — to reply to an email. There is simply more space. Space for conversation, for listening, for my anxiety to recede as I connect with my family. There's a feeling of life whittling down to the basics: cooking, sleeping, and fresh air. Somehow, these things feel less mundane and there's much more pleasure in the experience.<div type="image" title="Saba Khonsari's child playing in the river at Garner State Park" height="3024" width="4032" msid="108182513" hostid="261" sizebytes="2291900"></div>As much as I love my urban hometown, I also just crave an occasional escape from the labyrinth of highways and traffic. I crave a break from our overloaded Google Calendar, from meetings and carpooling, and the endless clutter of daily life. Following the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-scenic-family-road-trips-us-2024-2"> siren call of unspoiled landscapes</a>, our family will fill our trunk with equipment and the promise of escape. There is always an element of inconvenience and discomfort in camping, even the rudimentary car camping we do. Yet, we continue to return. They are the best trips.

I've taken my kids, 6 and 12, on dozens of camping trips. I enjoy them more than traditional vacations.

Indian embassy in Nepal has handed over 275 <keyword id="6360114" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lpg" source="Orion">LPG</keyword> gas stoves, cylinders and other accessories to underprivileged families in <keyword id="17624714" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tirhut-rural-municipality" source="Orion">Tirhut Rural Municipality</keyword> of Saptari district in the Himalayan country. Consul General of <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> Nitesh Kumar and President of Nepal-India Women Friendship Society (NIFWS) and Member of House of Representatives <keyword id="2375773" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="chanda-chaudhary" source="Orion">Chanda Chaudhary</keyword> handed over the cylinders on in Saptari district on June 3. A total of 3,000 sets of LPG stoves and 14.2 Kg cylinders and other accessories like regulators and pipes were gifted by the Government of India to underprivileged families of the districts of Sarlahi, Rautahat and Saptari. Approximately, 500 sets were distributed in Kaudena Municipality of Sarlahi district on April 19 this year. The gifting of stoves and cylinders is one of the 75 projects being inaugurated this year in Nepal as part of "India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav". The Project is inspired by the <keyword id="8775519" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pradhan-mantri-ujjwala" source="Orion">Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala</keyword> <keyword id="6443343" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yojana" source="Orion">Yojana</keyword> (PMUY) of the Government of India which is a flagship scheme with the objective to make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to the rural and deprived households which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels. <keyword id="196298" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vijay-yadav" source="Orion">Vijay Yadav</keyword>, Chairman of Tirhut Rural Municipality; <keyword id="17624713" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-karki" source="Orion">Narendra Karki</keyword>, SP of Saptari; <keyword id="17624715" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="radha-kayasth" source="Orion">Radha Kayasth</keyword>, Vice-President of Nepal-India Women Friendship Society; local journalists and other stakeholders were present on the occasion. The families were identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) list in coordination with District Administration Office (DAO) and local level. Social welfare councils have also been roped in for the distribution process. The government of India has approved Nepalese Rupees 2,40,90,000 for this purpose. Consul General congratulated the beneficiaries and noted that the use of traditional cooking fuel is detrimental to the health of rural women and the environment. The gifting of these LPG gas stoves and cylinders reflected the continued support of India to Nepal. NIWFS President Chanda Chaudhary thanked the <keyword id="44734" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-government" source="Orion">Indian Government</keyword> for its continued developmental support to women. Distribution of these LPG gas stoves, gas cylinders and accessories will replace the use of traditional cooking fuels like firewood, coal, and cow-dung cakes, which produce heavy smoke and cause health hazards. Since 2003, India has taken up over 535 High Impact Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal in various sectors Health, Education, Drinking Water and Irrigation, Electrification, etc. and has completed 476 projects and 59 ongoing projects. Amongst these, 81 projects have been undertaken in Province-2, including 19 projects in Sarlahi; 5 projects in Rautahat and 9 projects in Saptari Districts. In addition to these, 87 ambulances to various health posts and 3 school buses have been gifted in these three districts by India. As close neighbours, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation. The implementation of this project reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal for the upliftment of its people. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/aditya-birla-group-to-take-on-tata-reliance-now-in-the-branded-jewellery-space/articleshow/100787757.cms">Aditya Birla Group to take on Tata, Reliance now in the branded jewellery space</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/honda-unveils-elevate-suv-to-compete-with-creta-seltos-and-grand-vitara/slidelist/100790339.cms">Honda unveils Elevate SUV to compete with Creta, Seltos and Grand Vitara</a>

Strengthening ties: India gifts 3,000 LPG gas stoves to underprivileged families in Nepal

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Nicoya, Costa Rica, is one of the world's "Blue Zones," where people live longer than average.</li><li>The people of Nicoya share a strong sense of purpose, eat whole foods, and prioritize rest.</li></ul>For some Costa Ricans, purpose and a positive outlook is an integral part of life, researchers say — and it could be helping them live longer, fuller lives.Researchers studying the science of longevity have coined the term "plan de vida," or "life plan," the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200429-nicoya-the-costa-rican-peninsula-where-centenarians-thrive">BBC reported</a>, and they think it is one of the reasons why the residents of Nicoya, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bluezones.com/explorations/nicoya-costa-rica/">80-mile long peninsula</a> located along the western coast of Costa Rica, regularly outlive the rest of us.Within this rural beach community <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/worlds-5-blue-zones-people-live-longest-lives-2023-3#nicoya-costa-rica-4">the average age is 85</a> — but many residents live to be over 100-years-old. In fact, residents here are three-and-a-half times more likely to live past 100 than the global average, the BBC reported.As a result, Nicoya has been identified as one of the world's five "Blue Zones" by researcher Dan Buettner — regions of the globe where people are thought to live the longest and healthiest lives. The spot was recently featured in his book and Netflix docuseries on the topic.Here's what makes Nicoya, Costa Rica so special.<h2>The life expectancy in Nicoya is one of the highest in the world</h2><div type="image" title="old couple, woman standing kissing head of man sitting down, eyes closed " height="1400" width="2100" msid="103428885" hostid="261" sizebytes="270742"></div>Despite being one of the areas with the lowest income in Costa Rica, the average life expectancy for a resident of Nicoya is 85 years, compared to <a target="_blank" href="https://datacommons.org/place/country/CRI/?utm_medium=explore&amp;mprop=lifeExpectancy&amp;popt=Person&amp;hl=en">just over 77 years</a> for the country as a whole. In the United States, life expectancy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220831.htm">76.1 years</a>.Some of the habits that may contribute to the long lives of people in Nicoya include eating mostly unprocessed foods, prioritizing rest and friendships, and incorporating regular movement into their days — all features common to the other Blue Zones of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/blue-zones-loma-linda-vegetarian-diet-community-rest-2023-9">Loma Linda, California</a>; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/sardinia-blue-zone-superagers-longevity-2023-8">Sardinia, Italy</a>; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/okinawa-japan-blue-zone-diet-longevity-foods-live-to-100-2023-8">Okinawa, Japan</a>; and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/ikaria-greece-blue-zone-terminal-cancer-diagnosis-live-longer-2023-8">Ikaria, Greece</a>.<h2>Nicoyans eat whole foods and produce that they harvest themselves</h2><div type="image" title="Plate of Costa RIcan almuercito campesino, which contains plantains, picadillos (vegetable hash), beans and rice" height="3200" width="4800" msid="103428889" hostid="261" sizebytes="3459922"></div>Like residents of other Blue Zones, people who live in Nicoya eat a diet rich in whole foods, including squash, corn and bananas, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/beans-could-be-secret-for-living-longer-2023-9">plenty of beans</a>, reported <a target="_blank" href="https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/blue-zone-diet-of-costa-rica">U.S. News</a>. They also eat <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/blue-zone-residents-longevity-secrets-traits-2019-12">relatively little meat</a>.Many Nicoyan men greet the morning by riding their horses through the mountains, and having a hearty breakfast of gallo pinto (rice and beans), homemade corn tortillas and coffee, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhackl/2020/08/12/what-costa-ricas-blue-zone-can-teach-us-about-the-future-of-wellbeing--longevity/?sh=4b026cfa52d8">Forbes</a> reported.Much of the produce Nicoyans eat they reportedly grow and harvest themselves, according to Forbes.<h2>The water is high in calcium</h2><div type="image" title="Waterfall and pond in Nicoya, Costa Rica." height="2033" width="3049" msid="103428891" hostid="261" sizebytes="1466766"></div>A unique feature of Nicoya is its naturally calcium-rich water.Just drinking or cooking with five liters of water in Nicoya a day is enough to reach the daily recommended calcium intake of one gram, <a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2857742&amp;page=1">ABC news reported</a>.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bluezones.com/explorations/nicoya-costa-rica/">Blue Zones</a> website suggests that higher calcium levels could explain the lower rates of heart disease, stronger bones and fewer hip fractures among Nicoyans.<h2>People have physical activity built into their day</h2><div type="image" title="Clementina Espinoza, 91, takes care of her garden in Nicoya, Costa Rica, August 27, 2021. She attends to a red flower, and is wearing a matching two-piece blue floral set. " height="3712" width="5568" msid="103428892" hostid="261" sizebytes="2663348"></div>People in the Blue Zones generally don't exercise but are rather "nudged" into movement, Buettner said in his new book, "<a target="_blank" href="https://danbuettner.com/books/blue-zone-secrets/">The Blue Zones: Secrets for Living Longer.</a>"Instead of going to the gym, Buettner said people are more likely to walk around, garden, or do things by hand on a daily basis.This holds true for the people of Nicoya, where physical activity is woven into their daily lives.Take 86-year-old Juan Carrillo, who <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/blue-zone-lifestyle-sardinia-nicoya-longevity-rest-social-happy-hour-2023-8">told Buettner in the Netflix docuseries</a> that he still does activities like chopping logs for firewood. The work is intense, sweaty, and built into his day-to-day routine.Residents of Nicoya are also known for taking long walks, an activity Buettner says we could all do to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/dan-buettner-blue-zones-lifestyle-habits-diet-exercise-2023-8">extend our longevity</a>.<h2>People prioritize rest over work</h2><div type="image" title="Felipa Enriquez, 99, sits outside her home in Nicoya, Costa Rica, on August 27, 2021." height="3712" width="5568" msid="103428894" hostid="261" sizebytes="3026468"></div>"In Nicoya, just like all the other Blue Zones, people would never do a couple hours of work when they could be enjoying their family, or taking a siesta, or interacting with their friends," Buettner said in his Netflix docuseries. "They slow down to make time for things that really matter to them."Prioritizing rest and relationships over work could help <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/blue-zone-lifestyle-sardinia-nicoya-longevity-rest-social-happy-hour-2023-8">reduce chronic stress</a>, which can lead to inflammation and glucose spikes, and ultimately increase risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, Insider previously reported."Now, with my old age, I think that you have to rest," Carrillo said in the Netflix docuseries. But he also knows how to have fun.After working, Carrillo said that he likes "to go out and treat myself." Some of his favorite activities include heading out to the bar to have a cold beer with friends, and grooving on the dance floor.

Nicoya, Costa Rica is one of the world's 'Blue Zones' where people live longer than average. Residents eat whole foods, exercise daily, and drink calcium-rich water.

<ul><li>Restaurant Bai Veetu Kalyanam (The <keyword id="16764125" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bvk" source="Orion">BVK</keyword>) launched a manless takeaway for <keyword id="41887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Biryani" source="Orion">biryani</keyword> in <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword>, where customers can order a biryani through a kiosk. </li><li>The BVK is a Chennai-based restaurant launched in 2020. </li><li>Last year, Bengaluru-based startup Freshot introduced an “idli bot” — a vending machine dispensing piping hot idlis with chutney. </li></ul>Many of us have used an ATM, at one point or another, to extract some quick cash. But imagine if you could use a vending machine to extract a meal and not packaged goods like chips, chocolate, cold drinks or water, but an actual, hot meal? Well, that’s what Chennai-based restaurant Bai Veetu Kalyanam (The BVK) is doing with manless takeaways for biryani. On February 8, The BVK launched what it claims to be a “first-of-its-kind, unique &amp; state-of-the-art unmanned takeaway ordering experience”. The restaurant launched four kiosks at an outlet in Kolathur, Chennai. The kiosks have a 32-inch display touchpad screen that customers can use to place an order. The payment can be made through a card or UPI (using a QR code). Once the order is placed, a countdown timer indicates the time it will take for the meal to be prepared. Once the time is up, customers can collect their “freshly packed” order from a pop-out window. As per the restaurant’s Instagram page, on average, a biryani order is ready in four minutes. The price starts at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CphMVJKohoX/">₹199</a> for a mini chicken pack. As per food blogger <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CphMVJKohoX/">Nisha who visited the outlet</a>, “The biryani came in a metal copper container, sealed tight and was very hot! It was properly cooked and the flavour was so good and authentic.” Currently, the restaurant has just one manless outlet with four kiosks. It plans to open 12 more in Chennai, before launching pan-India. Customers can also select accompaniments with biryani, like dessert, beverages, etc. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tracing the history of BVK" comment="subhead2" text="Tracing the history of BVK">Tracing the history of BVK</cmsannotation> The BVK was launched in 2020 by Faheem S. As per <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/brandhub/chennai-based-food-startupbvk-biryani-launches-99-minutes-delivery-in-eco-friendlyreusable-tin-containers/article65087806.ece#:~:text=Faheem%20S%20(%20Founder%20%26%20CEO%20),the%20quality%20of%20their%20dishes.">The Hindu</a>, the restaurant aims to recreate the experience of a Muslim wedding. It takes care to prepare meals using fresh meat, ensuring that “the time from slaughtering to cooking is less than 4 hours, which keeps the meat tender, fresh and healthy.” “We use daily cut meats, daily produce vegetables, classic Basmati rice and cooked in traditional coal and firewood to bring the taste of biryani the way it was meant to be made,” states the company on its website. Apart from four types of biryani (chicken, egg, mutton and vegetable), the BVK also offers dishes like a chicken roast, idiyappam, idli, dosa, etc. as well as desserts like bread halwa, gulab jamun, payasam and beverages like coconut milk, cold drinks, etc. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Other experiments in automated food service" comment="subhead2" text="Other experiments in automated food service">Other experiments in automated food service</cmsannotation> The BVK may be the first restaurant serving biryani through manless takeaways but they’re certainly not the first to venture into automated food service for hot meals. Last year in October Bengaluru-based start-up Freshot Robotics set up the world’s first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSwuchF91I8&amp;ab_channel=IndiaAheadNews">“idli bot” </a>— a vending machine that dispensed piping hot idlis. As per <a href="https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/atm-in-bengaluru-serves-idlis-582156.html">reports</a>, the food was available in just 55 seconds. The machine had the capacity to dispense 72 idlis in just 12 minutes. It also dispensed chutney with idli. Similarly, in <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/news/new-york/worlds-first-robot-burger-chef-vending-machine-jersey-city">March 2022</a>, RoboBurger was installed in Jersey City in the USA. RoboBurger is an artificially intelligent, self-operating system that builds a burger from scratch in just six minutes. And in December 2022, fast food chain McDonald’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/23/mcdonalds-automated-workers-fort-worth-texas">opened </a>their first, mostly automated store in Texas, USA that used touchscreens and conveyor belts to deliver food — limiting human interaction. Long before burgers and idlis though, a man from Gujarat <a href="https://www.gadgets360.com/others/features/auto-pani-puri-dispensing-machine-social-media-viral-bharat-prajapati-2259203">invented </a>a panipuri or golgappa vending machine in 2020 during the pandemic. And he made it from leftover scraps! As per Gadgets360, Bharat Prajapati, who was 33 at the time, created a machine that dispenses golgappas. Prajapati runs a mobile and electronics repair shop in Raviyana village in the state. Apart from these ventures, Noida-based startup Daalchini is also <a href="https://in.linkedin.com/company/daalchini">providing </a>home-cooked food, along with snacks and healthy bars, etc. through its network of automatic vending machines across <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/07/daalchini-series-a-4-million-usd-funding-smart-vending-machines-india/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIEqG4ol0n6HJIq1C2xkwEeKGCvQPWkytEMXW9DgRmzH7XMV8L4luW_sL41qqIwizKXU4d6_-KdAE8eidDEcpsbiYfF2-lA-sOf2Vn9WxamhRmqzBYtTFCmuk9VpBpwD6El0gD06mreob9RAnrSAMk78jehxg2haAivSmwTUD7Dj">11 states and 23 </a>Indian cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore. In September 2022, the startup raised $4 million. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/reits-and-invits-become-attractive-after-major-taxation-overhang-removed/articleshow/99058405.cms">REITs and InvITs become attractive after major taxation overhang removed</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/how-to-check-whether-your-pan-and-aadhaar-is-link-status/articleshow/99057008.cms">You need to link your PAN with Aadhaar by March 31: All you need to know</a>

India now has a vending machine for Biryani. Here’s everything to know about it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Before starting a fire, open the fireplace damper so smoke can properly exit through the chimney.</li><li>Use kiln-dried firewood for the cleanest burn and least chimney build-up.</li><li>Kindling lights quickly, but knowing how to properly arrange larger logs ensures a long-lasting flame.</li></ul>While a fireplace fire can create a cozy, warm environment for food, drinks, and friends, fire is still dangerous and can have dire consequences when mishandled. Properly preparing for a fire not only brings the best out of a fireplace, but also keeps everyone safe as they enjoy the flames.In addition to following safety precautions, "[using] high-quality wood is definitely the biggest trick" to starting a clean-burning fire with minimal difficulty, says <a href="https://www.cuttingedgefirewood.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leroy Hite</a>, founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.cuttingedgefirewood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cutting Edge Firewood</a>. "It's just like cooking without high-quality ingredients. Your food's not going to taste as good."And if you're not as familiar with flames, remember that starting a fire comes down to "some very simple, scientific things. More oxygen and more fuel means a bigger, faster-burning fire. Less oxygen and less fuel means a smaller fire," says Hite.<h2>Before you get started</h2><div type="image" title="A man using a metal broom and shovel to sweep ashes out of a fireplace" height="1497" width="1996" msid="88820419" hostid="261"></div>Preparing a fireplace for a fire takes some time and planning, but it's essential for safety and enjoyment. "A fire in the right place, in the right setting … is like a beautiful sunset that hits all your senses," Hite says, but when things go wrong, "there's no end to how terrible it could be." Follow these protocols to keep you and your <keyword id="11898442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="home" source="Orion">home</keyword> safe:Make sure the chimney is in working order. A professional chimney cleaning checks for animal nests and any chimney deterioration. According to the <a href="https://www.csia.org/faq.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chimney Safety Institute of America</a>, you should get a chimney sweeping at least once a year. If you use wood that doesn't burn cleanly or have fires every day, "you should get it cleaned more than once a year," Hite says. Hite recommends getting your chimney swept in the spring or summer, since it can take months to book a chimney sweeping service by the time it's already cold.Prep the fireplace. If there's ash in your fireplace from a previous fire, put on fire-proof gloves, and use a metal shovel to transfer them to an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/F2C-Gallon-Galvanized-Fireplace-Burning/dp/B07TMP85Q3/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">ash can</a>, or a fire-proof metal bucket. "Ash in and of itself isn't bad," says Hite, and leaving a thin layer in the fireplace "protects the bottom of the fireplace from the heat and will make it last longer."Since hot coals can last for days after a fire has died, do not leave an ash can inside or anywhere flammable. Wait about a week before disposing, whether by throwing them out or <a href="https://www.kcsweep.com/properly-dispose-fireplace-ash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reusing them as compost or garden-pest deterrent</a>. Prepare the damper and flue. The flue is the passage that allows smoke and gas to exit the chimney. The flue is controlled by the damper, which is the mechanism that adjusts the airflow. Make sure to completely open the damper: a blocked damper causes smoke to billow into the home, and in some fireplaces, Hite says, it can be difficult to open once the fire is started.You may also need to prime the flue. Sometimes, smoke flows inside even when the damper is open. This happens when cold air inside the flue flows down, forcing smoke out instead of letting it up. To prevent this, prime the flue first by rolling up several sheets of newspaper into a torch-like shape, lighting one end, and holding the lighted end in the flue area. The flue is properly primed when smoke from the torch flows up the flue instead of into the room. Repeat with more torches as necessary.Know where your fire extinguisher and gloves are. "You should always have a fire extinguisher close at hand that everybody knows exactly where it is," says Hite. Heat-resistant fireplace gloves allow you to adjust hot and even on-fire logs safely when rearranging a fallen or shifted log to a safer, more stable position.<h2>Choosing the best firewood</h2><div type="image" title="A hand placing a log onto a fire in a wood-burning stove" height="1392" width="1856" msid="88820421" hostid="261"></div>Once a fireplace is prepped, there are three components to building a fire:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/best-fire-starter">Fire starter</a> refers to both an ignitor — a match, or a lighter — and tinder, fuel that lights extremely easily. "The tinder is kind of like kindling for kindling," says Hite.</li><li>Kindling is bigger than tinder, and "generally the same length of the logs, but half an inch in diameter," says Hite.</li><li>Logs vary in size and quality. Keep in mind the dimensions of your fireplace when selecting firewood — it should sit comfortably on the grate inside the fireplace — and get a variety of diameters. </li></ul>When it comes to firewood quality, avoid wood that hasn't been sufficiently dried. Any wood with moisture will generate excess smoke and lead to dangerous <a href="https://www.csia.org/chimneyfires.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creosote</a> build-up in flues, which can lead to chimney fires. Look specifically for firewood that "has been kiln-dried for at least 48 hours at a high temperature" and has never been seasoned. Firewood that's been kiln-dried right after it's been cut has the cleanest and most consistent burn. "It never sees outside, so it's always bug- [fungus-, and mildew-] free," says Hite.Look also for hardwoods, which burn for significantly longer and put off more heat over time than softwoods. As for hardwood types, it's a matter of preference. "The best three are oak, hickory, and cherry," Hite says. "Oak is the standard, a staple. Hickory burns a little longer, … has a slightly more bold aroma, and is our most popular species. Cherry has a subtle sweet aroma that many of our customers absolutely love."<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 88px;" border="1"><tbody><tr style="height: 22px;"><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;"> </td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Tinder</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Kindling and logs</td></tr><tr style="height: 22px;"><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Best</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Dried pine needles, dried pine cones, dried leaves</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Kiln-dried fresh firewood</td></tr><tr style="height: 22px;"><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Good</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Newspaper, dryer lint</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Kiln-dried seasoned firewood</td></tr><tr style="height: 22px;"><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Avoid using</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Green or wet pine needles, pine cones, leaves; other household items</td><td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 22px;">Seasoned firewood, green wood</td></tr></tbody></table>Quick tip: Newspaper and lint can be used as tinder. While neither burns as cleanly as natural tinders, it's an opportunity to reuse something that will otherwise be discarded. <h2>How to make a fire with the log cabin method</h2><div type="image" title="A fire burning in a fireplace" height="974" width="1299" msid="88820422" hostid="261"></div>The log cabin method is "definitely my favorite, the most simple [method]," says Hite. "It's sturdy, it's easier, and you can make a bigger, more beautiful fire with the log cabin method. You have the whole thing on fire at the same time." It's also the best method for keeping a fire going: as spent logs fall through the grate, keep stacking more logs in the same log cabin pattern.Keep in mind that spacing between logs is important. "A good general rule to think about is surface to air: The more air you have, the easier it is to start [a fire] and the hotter it burns," Hite explains.Wood that's too close won't have enough oxygen to sustain flames. Logs that are too far apart will catch fire at first, but then die out since they don't stay hot enough to sustain flames. <ol><ol><li>Select five logs. "Generally, you want to start the fire with smaller logs, because they'll catch fire easier than larger logs," says Hite.</li><li>Place the two largest logs on the grate or andirons parallel to the back of the fireplace. The largest log should be in front, the smaller of the two in the back. This way, when logs shift as they burn, they'll fall to the back of the fireplace instead of the front. Leave some space between them for kindling.</li><li>Place the tinder underneath the grate between the two logs.</li><li>Arrange the kindling on top of the tinder. Hite usually starts with two pieces of kindling arranged in an X that crosses over the tinder and a third piece on the grate between the first and second log.</li><li>Stack two logs perpendicular to the first layer of logs. You should end up with a log cabin-like structure that is made up of four logs. If they don't feel sturdy, adjust the space between the logs of the first layer.</li><li>Place the fifth log in between the logs of the second layer. This middle log should sit right over the tinder and kindling, "low enough to catch on fire from the fire starters."</li><li>Light the tinder. Have more tinder and kindling on hand, in case the flames go out before the logs begin to catch.</li><li>Put up the spark screen. Once the fire is going, put up a spark screen to catch any embers that might get thrown out by wood popping.</li></ol></ol>Quick tip: For smaller fireplaces, use only three logs total. For the second layer, lay the third log diagonally across the first layer, creating a Z shape.<h2>How to make a fire with the upside-down method</h2>The upside-down method places its components in the opposite order of the log cabin method. Since the kindling is on top of the logs and burning down, with this method, "you only have a layer of it on fire at a time," Hite says, "and because it's a smaller fire, it burns slower."If you don't plan on feeding more logs and "your goal is to make the firewood last longer, [the upside-down method] is a better option for you," says Hite. "The whole experience is, the wood you put on there is the wood that you're going to use." <ol><ol><li>Select five logs. For small fireplaces, use only three logs.</li><li>Place the two largest logs on the grate or andirons parallel to the back of the fireplace. The largest log should be in front, the smaller of the two in the back. This way, when logs shift as they burn, they'll fall to the back of the fireplace instead of the front. </li><li>Stack two more logs on top of the first layer. Place these logs perpendicular to the first layer. If they don't feel sturdy, adjust the space between the logs of the first layer.</li><li>Place the fifth log in between the logs of the second layer. This log will support the tinder and kindling.</li><li>Place the kindling on top of the second log layer. Use four or more pieces of kindling, arranged in a log-cabin pattern.</li><li>Place the tinder underneath the kindling.</li><li>Light the tinder. Have more tinder and kindling on hand, in case the flame goes out before the logs begin to catch. The upside-down method usually requires more kindling and tinder than the log cabin method.</li><li>Put up the spark screen. Once the fire is going, put up a spark screen to catch any embers that might get thrown out by wood popping.</li></ol></ol><h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>When the right safety protocols are followed, a fire in the fireplace is a cozy way to get warm while inside. Before you start a fire, make sure a professional has swept your chimney recently, and double-check that the damper in the flue is open.While there are advantages to both the log cabin and upside down methods of starting a fire, Hite says, "for most people, both advanced and beginners, the log cabin method is going to be better … it has been around for forever." If you want to burn through a limited amount of wood, "then the upside-down method is a good thing to try out."Safety and technique aside, Hite adds, "just make sure to bring others around the fire … because it makes memories unlike anything else. There's nothing that opens people up, there's nothing that makes people think deeper than a fire. It's primal, universal, and unifying. It can bring anybody together."

How to safely start a fire in a fireplace that lights easily every time

Mumbai, Feb 17 () Payment of adjusted gross revenue dues of Rs 1.20 lakh crore by telcos will reduce the fiscal deficit for 2019-20 to 3.5 per cent of the GDP from the revised estimate of 3.8 per cent of the GDP, economists at SBI said on Monday. However, one will have to wait till March 16 - the payment deadline - before the picture gets clear, they said. After facing the Supreme Court's ire over non-compliance with its AGR order, the telecom department is pressing for the payment of dues by the telcos. "The fiscal arithmetic will change significantly post March 16, 2020, (the date till which telecom companies have to pay their AGR dues). If we assume that the government is able to collect Rs 1.20 lakh crore through AGR dues, the fiscal deficit for FY20 will reduce to 3.5 per cent of GDP," the economists at SBI said. According to the revised budget estimates, the government expects a fiscal deficit of 3.8 per cent in 2019-20. Meanwhile, the economists also said that increase in LPG cylinder prices has forced people back to unclean cooking fuel alternatives, and the government's focus should now be on making cylinders affordable. The report comes days after a steep hike in prices of LPG cylinder which were accompanied with a rise in subsidy burden taken by the government which provides 12 cylinders of 14.2 kg at subsidised rates. To drive rural women away from traditional sources of fuel for cooking which were unclean and hazardous, the government has also launched the PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUJ), under which free LPG connections are given to beneficiaries. Economists at the country's largest lender SBI said they had analysed data on the scheme, which they welcomed as an excellent step to promote clean energy. "The beneficiaries (PMUY) are going back to use of unclean fuel (hazardous to their health also) as soon as the free cylinders get exhausted. Though, PMUY has solved the problem of availability but the affordability barrier still exists," they said. "Government should now focus on the 'affordability' issue," it recommended. At present, 96.5 per cent of the households in the country have an LPG connection and only over a half of them consumed only up to three cylinders in a year or more, whereas logically a family of four requires more, it said. In parallel, it said that contribution of LPG to overall inflation has increased 0.31 per cent reflecting the rise in gas bottle prices, while the same for firewood and cakes has also gone up by 0.10 per cent. This hike in the firewood and cake prices suggests that demand is more than the supply, SBI noted. Its recommendations to the government for making the cylinders affordable include an increased and graded subsidy may be provided to PMUY and poor consumers which can be tapered off over a period of, say, four years, it said. AA MRMR

Payment of AGR dues to bring down fiscal deficit to 3.5% in FY20

<ul class="summary-list"><li>People in Senegal are turning an invasive weed called Typha into a source of clean energy.</li><li>Typha, commonly known as cattail, has been destroying rice crops in rural Senegal for over 30 years, but it's now become a source of economic opportunity.</li><li>The bio-coal made from Typha is a cleaner and safer alternative to firewood - making it a popular choice for cooking. </li><li>Making bio-coal is expensive and it can be difficult to sell, but locals are still searching for ways to cut costs and increase efficiency.</li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/BusinessInsiderToday/470155010549573/">View more episodes of Business Insider Weekly on Facebook.</a></li></ul>Following is a transcript of an episode of Business Insider Today. Watch the full episode <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsiderToday/videos/588933941695406">here</a>.This <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/1/eaay0748">bio-coal</a> is made from an invasive weed that's been ravaging rice fields for over 30 years. But now it's being used to cook, build homes, and create economic opportunities here in Senegal - all in a sustainable way.Typha became an international problem after the construction of two dams between Senegal and Mauritania. The dams cut off the flow of water and created ideal conditions for the weed to grow.For years, both governments tried and failed to find an effective way to eliminate it. Now locals are trying on their own - and with their bare hands - as part of a project led by the French NGO <a href="https://www.gret.org/?lang=en">GRET</a>. The bio-coal is made by burning Typha in these outdoor kilns for six hours at a time.Yacine Seye, Typha briquette maker: "That is carbonized Typha. We have carbonized it and obtained the material we needed. There are no ashes, there are no losses. That is what we wanted to achieve and we got it."The charred reeds are mixed with water and rice husks. A machine shapes it into briquettes, which are then laid out to dry for three to four days. Typha briquettes both ignite faster and burn longer than wood. In rural Senegal, about 83% of the population <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0973082617311778">relies on wood </a>for cooking and heating. The pollutants released by wood-burning can increase the risk of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health">cardiovascular and respiratory diseases</a>.Typha coal, on the other hand, produces much less smoke. And the plant can be used for more than just cooking. Typha can also be mixed with clay to make bricks for construction. Many of the people participating in the project are women. Seye: "Before getting this job, women were just at home. We went to the fields one month for a few days and we would do nothing else. Now with the transformation of Typha into bio-coal, we can support our husbands in our homes, educate children, and even cook."Every month, they turn the equivalent of 13,000 kilograms of Typha into bio-coal.Although this process creates new sources of revenue, the weed is still endangering valuable farmland.Djibi Ndiagne, Typha cutter and farmer: "On the one hand, it's good (cutting Typha) because it gives me work so I can feed my family. But on the other hand there are consequences, because Typha is taking over a lot of space. We used to grow rice in this part and now, because of Typha it's impossible." Cutting Typha is labor-intensive and transportation costs are high. It can also be difficult to find a buyer. But many people still see a potential for Typha. NGOs and locals are working to find ways to minimize costs and increase efficiency.Ernest Dione, Senegal Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: "Today we are starting to look at Typha differently and to consider it as a resource. In Senegal we are just beginning, but we have proved that we can do a lot with Typha."

How people in Senegal are turning an invasive weed into a source of clean energy

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Joakim Blockstrom'Nest Egg' from HIDE.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland 2019 was revealed at a live event in London on Monday.</li><li>Six restaurants were given stars for the first time, while five lost their place on the list entirely.</li><li>Scroll down to see the newcomers - and the full list of London's Michelin-starred restaurants.</li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-michelin-starred-meals-in-the-world-ranked-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michelin Guide</a> for Great Britain and Ireland has been revealed for 2019 - and six new London restaurants have made the list for the first time.The awards, which took place at London's Odeon BFI Imax on Monday, also saw five eateries lose their star and be struck off the list completely.Here are London's six new Michelin-starred restaurants for 2019:<h2>Brat, Shoreditch</h2>This Redchurch Street restaurant from Tomos Parry opened just six months ago, and is named after a colloquial term for "turbot."<a href="https://www.bratrestaurant.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brat</a> draws on Parry's Welsh heritage -and also has influence from the Basque region of Northern Spain, where they speak Welsh - with "a menu favouring seasonal British produce, cooked on an open firewood grill," according to the restaurant.<h2>Ikoyi, St James's</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">IkoyiIkoyi.</div></div></div><a href="https://ikoyilondon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ikoyi</a>, which opened in July 2017, is headed up by co-founders Jeremy Chan (head chef) and Iré Hassan-Odukale (restaurant director).It's a "platform on which to showcase their strong, bold menus that celebrate seasonality with a sense of drama," according to the restaurant. Think rich spices and "a contrast of elegance and balance, married with the fearless enjoyment of the taste and flavours of the season."<h2>Sabor, Mayfair</h2>Founded by Nieves Barragan and José Etura, <a href="http://www.saborrestaurants.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to its website</a>, Sabor (meaning flavour in Spanish), "takes you on a journey from the tapas bars of Andalucía through to the asadors of Castile and the seafood restaurants of Galicia."It's made up of three areas - The Counter and bar on the ground floor, and the El Asador on the first floor.<h2>Hide, Mayfair</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Joakim BlockstromHIDE.</div></div></div>Less than six months after opening, Mayfair's <a href="http://www.hide.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hide</a>, from executive chef and co-owner Ollie Dabbous, has been awarded a Michelin star - though it's not a first for Dabbous, who won one for his restaurant of the same name (Dabbous) in 2012.A joint venture between Dabbous and Hedonism wines, Hide boasts "seasonal dishes created with restraint and finesse, whether for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner" as well as "the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword>'s most comprehensive wine list," according to the restaurant.Set over three floors, it also offers some pretty amazing views over Green Park.<h2>Leroy, Shoreditch</h2>The team behind Ellory, which received a Michelin star in the 2017 guide before closing down in March 2018, have now received a star for this new wine bar and restaurant.<a href="https://www.leroyshoreditch.com/about-leroy-shoreditch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the website</a>, the name is "one of our pet names from Ellory since many people were unable to pronounce the name of our restaurant.""We aim for simplicity and flavour. Food that is thoughtful but not showy," it goes on. "Leroy is a place to stop in for a glass or to share several plates of food, charcuterie, cheese and crudo with a bottle or two of wine. Anything from the classics to the crazy."<h2>Roganic, Marylebone</h2>First opened as a two-year pop-up in 2011, <a href="https://www.roganic.uk/story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roganic</a> brings "elements" of Simon Rogan's two-Michelin-starred Lake District restaurant L'Enclume to London.Its website calls the menu "forward-thinking and imaginative, using only the freshest and most exceptional array of produce from the best suppliers around the country, including Simon's 'Our Farm' in The Lake District."<h2>The full list of London's Michelin-starred restaurants for 2019:</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Joakim BlockstromTwo Michelin-starred The Greenhouse in Mayfair.</div></div></div><h3>TWO STARS</h3>Core by Clare Smyth* (previously one-Michelin-starred)Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs* (previously one starred)Claude Bosi at BibendumDinner by Heston BlumenthalLe GavrocheThe GreenhouseHélène Darroze at The ConnaughtThe LedburySketch (The Lecture Room and Library)Umu<h3>ONE STAR</h3>Alyn Williams at The WestburyAmayaAnglerAquavitL'Atelier de Joel RobuchonA. WongBarrafina (Soho)BenaresBonhamsBrat* (new to list)CelesteChez BruceCity SocialClove ClubClub GasconLe Dame de PicElystan StreetFera at Claridge'sFive FieldsGalvin La ChapelleGalvin at WindowsThe GlasshouseThe Goring (Dining Room)GymkhanaHakkasan Hanway PlaceHakkasan MayfairHarwood ArmsHedoneHide* (new to list)Ikoyi* (new to list)KaiKitchen Table at BubbledogsKitchen W8Leroy* (new to list)Locanda LocatelliLyle'sMarcus* (previously two-Michelin-starred)MuranoThe NinthPetrusPied a TerrePollen Street SocialPortlandQuilonRoganic* (new to list)Ritz RestaurantRiver CafeSabor* (new to list)St. JohnSeven Park PlaceSocial Eating houseThe SquareStoryTextureTrinityTrishnaLa TrompetteVeeraswamyYauatcha Soho<h2>Restaurants knocked off the list:</h2>Ametsa with Arzak InstructionJamavarLima FitzroviaOutlaw's at The CapitalTamarind <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marijuana-cannabis-scanning-electron-microscope-2018-9">What marijuana looks like under the microscope</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

6 London restaurants that were just given Michelin stars for the first time

<div class="image-container" style="width:800px"><div class="image">REUTERS/Anindito MukherjeeA man rides a motorcycle through a flooded street after a heavy monsoon rain shower in New Delhi July 20, 2013. <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>'s monsoon rains turned average last week and may pick up over areas that grow cane, oilseed and cotton in northern and western regions next week, weather department officials said, helping most summer crops into their last leg of planting.</div></div>Deep in India's northeast, villagers use grass to sound-proof their huts from deafening rain, clouds are a familiar sight inside homes and a suitably rusted sign tells visitors they are in the "wettest place on earth".
Oddly enough, lifelong residents of Mawsynram, a small cluster of hamlets in Meghalaya state have little idea that their scenic home holds a Guinness record for the highest average annual rainfall of 11,873 millimeters (467 inches).
"Really, this is the wettest place in the world? I didn't know that," Bini Kynter, a great-grandmother who estimates she must be "nearly 100 years old" tells AFP.
"The rain used to frighten me when I was a young girl, it used to make our lives hell. Today people have it easy," she says, wrapping a green tartan shawl tightly around her shoulders.
Meteorologists say Mawsynram's location, close to Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal is the reason the tiny cluster receives so much rain.
"What happens is that whenever any moisture gathers over the Bay of Bengal, it causes precipitation over Mawsynram, leading to a heavy, long monsoon season," Sunit Das of the Indian Meteorological Department told AFP.
While annual monsoon rains lashed the national capital last week, causing traffic chaos and flooding at the international airport, such problems are mild for Mawsynram.
Just thirty years ago, Mawsynram had no paved roads, no running water and no electricity, making its six-month long monsoon an insufferable experience for its mostly impoverished residents.
Landslides still occur regularly, blocking the only paved road connecting the hillside hamlets. Rainwater still seeps into the mud huts occupied by some villagers. And, while most homes now have electricity, outages are commonplace.
Every winter the people of Mawsynram spend months preparing for the wet season ahead, anticipating nonstop rain and no sunshine for several days at a time.
They repair their battered roofs. They cut and hoard firewood -- a source of light and fuel for cooking. They buy and store foodgrains, since few will venture out to shop during the wettest months between May and July.
The women make rain covers known as "knups," using bamboo slivers, plastic sheets and broom grass to create a rain shield that resembles a turtle shell, meant to be worn on one's head while being large enough to keep rain off one's knees.
The labour-intensive process of weaving a knup -- each one takes at least an hour to complete -- occupies the women of the village right through the rainy season, when they are cooped up indoors for months at a time.
Bamboo and broom grass -- a delicate, fragrant, olive-coloured grass used to make Indian brooms -- are among the chief plants grown in this rocky, hilly region.
Broom grass is dipped in water, flattened using wooden blocks and finally dried on rooftops across Mawsynram. According to Prelian Pdah, a grandmother of nine, this makes the grass stronger and more likely to survive a downpour.
Pdah, 70, spends part of the winter and all of the monsoon season making bamboo baskets, brooms and knups which are bought by visiting businessmen who sell them around the state.
"I don't like the heavy rainfall, it's boring to stay indoors all day. It's annoying," she tells AFP.
Although few Mawsynram residents seemed to know or care about their record-holder status, the right to the Guinness title has been hotly disputed by a nearby town, Cherrapunji, which used to lay claim to that honour.
In sleepy Mawsynram, many find the record-setting monsoon downright depressing.
"There's no sun, so if you don't have electricity it's very dark indoors, even during the day," Moonstar Marbaniang, the pyjama-clad headman of Mawsynram says.
Those who have second homes elsewhere flee to escape the season. Others catch up on their sleep, according to Marbaniang, whose first name suggests one of the more striking legacies of colonial rule in India's northeast.
Historians say the past presence of British soldiers and missionaries in this region has seen many people name their children after random English words or famous historical figures, often with no knowledge of what they might mean.
State capital Shillong's former nickname as the "Scotland of the East" also goes some way to explain the popularity of tartan scarves and shawls, even in the most far-flung and underdeveloped villages of Meghalaya.
Somewhat fittingly for a state whose name means "the abode of the clouds" in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, it is not unusual for clouds to drift through people's homes in Mawsynram, leaving a wet film on their furniture.
The grass-covered roofs are meant to muffle the relentless drumming of the rain, but a heavy downpour will usually dislodge the grass to deafening effect.
"We have to talk a little louder to be heard during the monsoon!" 67-year-old Marbaniang tells AFP, his mischievous eyes sparkling.
When the monsoon finally ends, there are no parties to mark its exit. The rainy season simply gives way to the repair season, Marbaniang says.
"We don't hold any celebration or festival to mark the end of the rain. We just start drying our clothes outside," he says, flashing a toothless grin.
Despite enduring record amounts of rain, sanguine villagers say there is no other place they would rather live.
Marbaniang, whose children all live in Shillong, says: "I'll never leave, this is my home, I was born here, I will die here."
"Sure, it rains a lot, but we are used to it. We just wait it out."
<div>
Copyright (2013) AFP. All rights reserved.
</div>

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