Let's get 'stuffing'!

We're trying to help make the lives of young Calgarians in need brighter & more fun this holiday season. It's for that reason that we're taking all your gently used sporting equipment that is lying around your house, not being used.

MINI Deeds and I will are accepting donations throughout Calgary. You don't have to come to us! We'll come & pick them up from your home or office!

We spent a few hours at Talisman Centre this last Friday, November 4th & we had a good response from both Talisman Centre and people that we talked to in regards to this event! If you live in the North West of Calgary, you can also drop your donations off directly at MINI Crowfoot!



If you wish to schedule a pick-up of donations, contact MINI Deeds and I by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy to pick them up!





And the KooL thing about this is that for very item you donate, your name gets entered into a draw to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree at CrossIron Mills Mall!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

How smart is your Car?

Any MINI equipped with MINI Connected allows the driver to simply tuck an iPhone into the built-in USB port making it one with the MINI hi-res cockpit display. That's just the half of it -search for places nearby using Google Local SearchTM, monitor your driving efficiency and even update your Facebook and Twitter status on the move. See MINI Connected in the new film and get an overview of all the current and up coming functionalities.



Our new film shows just how intuitively and safely this game-changing feature works. A powerful tool for communications and social networking, MINI Connected unites trailblazing in-car technology with a groundbreaking app that can be downloaded to the driver's iPhone, turning the MINI into a thoroughly wired telecommunications and infotainment control center. The technology takes car-smartphone integration to an unprecedented level, and promises to deliver an ever-growing list of features in the form of app upgrades and extensions as available technologies and social networking capabilities develop.



Because the new technology required a film quite unlike any other that MINI has done before, the MINI Connected Team searched out a crew that could bring the groundbreaking technology's intuitive, powerful and polished feel to the screen. What they found was a crew of passionate pros at Red Gate Films who live for bringing cutting-edge gear like this to life. We had a chat with David Bousquet, director and cinematographer on the project to get a feel for what went into the project.



The work of his team really brings the world of MINI Connected into the cockpit. Carefully crafting 3D models and introducing them seamlessly both into and outside the cabin of the MINI Countryman required a great deal of patience, time - and a full film crew tiptoeing around in their socks (apparently 3D models and pitch black studios are pretty sensitive environments).
Ok, so what can it do? Eight features are currently available today with more exciting features to come this summer!



Connectivity: MINI Connected lets you stay synched to local news sources via customizable RSS feeds and your social network 24/7 by receiving Facebook and Twitter status updates as text on the dash display. Post your destinations, estimated arrival times and more to Twitter with preset tweets. You can even watch video podcasts uploaded to your iPhone right in-dash.



Navigation: Need to find the nearest gas station? Laundromat? Mexican restaurant? Just use Google Local SearchTM as simply as you normally would when using your iPhone to get around, or use the Google Send-to-CarTM function, allowing Google MapsTM to link up with the in-car navigation system of your MINI to give you detailed driving directions to wherever you need to go. Friends can even send you directions - right to the car.

Driving Efficiency: The MINIMALISM Analyzer records driving data that will personally help you environmentally streamline your driving style in a way that's as fun to use as it is earth-friendly. This function will record a range of data from your drive - like acceleration, gear changes and braking - displaying it in real time, ranking your stats with a star system. You can then assess the efficiency of your road technique from journey to journey, comparing online and competing with other users in your quest to become the world's greenest MINI driver.



Vehicle Interaction: Coming this summer the Mission Control** module will give you the ability to interact directly with your car. Your MINI will let you know outside air temperatures, or give you a friendly reminder to fasten your seatbelt and other situation-dependent messages. You can finally give your MINI the character and personality you always knew it had with options like, a choice of language versions and driving modes.



Music: MINI Connected can also use your iPhone to stream webradio stations from anywhere in the world - utilizing the familiar controls of the MINI audio system - giving you a prime opportunity to get acquainted with the four pre-programmed MINI Sounds Webradio stations. You can download the app and use it for webradio even if you don't have a MINI. US drivers will be able to customize their favorite Pandora* stations by directly controling the Pandora iPhone app. This summer you'll be able to rock out with an innovative new feature called Dynamic Music**. Taking the audio interactivity of MINI Connected one step further: specialized songs will allow the music coming out of your car stereo to respond directly to your driving style, so you can mix your own soundtrack as you drive. Step on it to kick up the BPM, or relax your driving style to hear more chilled-out beats.

*Source MINI Space

Want some cake... Better yet, Want a REALLY GOOD CAKE?

This weekend I made a "Pastel de Tres Leches" or "Tres Leches Cake" for a friend's birthday party & it was all gone by the end of the night, I guess that's a good review. It's named for the three milks in the soaking liquid (Leche means milk in Spanish.) The three milks in the soaking sauce for Tres Leches are sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream. The heavy cream is also whipped up to use as the topping. Due to the rich ingredients and that it is soaked in a creamy syrup, Tres Leches Cake is extremely dense and moist, almost like a custard.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

Preparation:
Combine flour and baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time until well combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup of milk, then gently fold in the flour mixture a little at a time.
Pour batter into a lightly greased cake pan or baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool until it feels room temperature. Turn it over onto a platter with raised edges. Pierce cake throughout with a fork or chop-stick about 20-30 times. Let it cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.



Cream Syrup

12 oz. evaporated milk
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional, but I like to use rum)
Whisk together the three milks and the rum or brandy if you are using it. Slowly pour the liquid over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Occasionally, spoon the milk runoff back onto the cake.



Whipped Topping

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
In a chilled mixing bowl add heavy cream, vanilla and sugar. Beat on high speed until peaks form. Spread a thin layer over the cak & add toppings. In this case I used Peacans & Cajeta (almost like dulce de leche but better)





Enjoy.

We want your, gently used, Sporting Equipment!

We need your help. We, MINI Deeds & I, want to help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season. It's for that reason that we need you to donate any/all gently used sporting gear lying around your house, not being used.

MINI Deeds and I will are accepting donations throughout Calgary & we'll even come, to either your home or office, and pick them up!

We'll be at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4th. If you have the time, please stop by and drop off your items. You can also drop them off directly at MINI Crowfoot in the North West or contact MINI Deeds and I by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy to pick them up!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

Remember! See you at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4!

Take all your friends out for Halloween...

Of all the members of the holiday family, we all know Halloween is the artist of the bunch. Once a year it casts a spell of mischief on us all, and as we dole out fistfuls of confectionary delights, it doles out liberal doses of creative license in the departments of evening garb and household décor. Everyday things like hairspray, forgotten old clothes, and even the white sheets off your bed have their routine function usurped as they are tossed together in creative ensembles to become the trappings of disguise and entertainment. We don masks and adopt aliases, and we give ourselves up wholeheartedly to the command of our wayward creative spirits.



Being the imaginative community that you are, we suspect you’ve got some clever ideas up your sleeve for this Halloween. What are you dressing up for? But most importantly, how are you getting there? Let your drive down to your friends’ house for Halloween be a fun drive. Get there in a MINI, but don't go alone. Now, you can take all your friends with you.

MINI Reef for the Turtles!!!

Look at this picture... I'll explain shortly "How did we get here?"



Koh Tao is an island off the coast of Thailand whose name literally translates to "Turtle Island." The aptly named tropical paradise of white sandy beaches shaded by towering palm trees is surrounded by waters positively teeming with some of the world's most fascinating marine life. Hawksbill turtles, barracudas, sting rays, clownfish and whale sharks are just a few examples of the colorful fauna great and small that drift happily through the beautiful coral reefs that characterize Koh Tao's surrounding sapphire seascape.



Not surprisingly, the idyllic spot has become known as a hot destination for expert and amateur divers alike. But the influx of tourism to the area poses a real threat to the equilibrium of Koh Tao's delicate ecosystem, and local conservationists face the perpetual challenge of giving visitors the chance to interact with this island's thrilling array of subaquatic treasures without destroying them in the process.



The cement MINI prepares to leave dry land and begin its aquatic journey.. Enter MINI Thailand and their unique MINI Artificial Coral Reef Project. On August 26th, together with a team of about 30 professional divers, they sank a playful, MINI-themed landscape below the waves at the diver training site of Suan Olan. The project, which was carried out in cooperation with Koh Tao Marine Conservation Group and the local Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, will have the double benefit of providing a habitat for the island's wildlife while giving novice divers a place to practice without interfering with the natural reefs that lie clustered just beyond the coastline.



Just about to launch.. With the help of highly specialized equipment like crane ships and air balloons, the carefully engineered structure was built using cement, a material chosen for its suitability as a base for coral to grow securely. Experts estimate it will remain in place for about 10 years, serving as an unusual attraction for visiting divers and a message for posterity about the importance of protecting the natural beauty we too often take for granted.



Nothing but the great blue above, and many colorful years ahead.. On the following day, their hard work done, everyone who lent a hand in this innovative and special project celebrated into the night with an after party featuring live music and fire dancing. The theme was simple: "Thank You For Loving Koh Tao." Simple, but right on the mark, since in the end what MINI Thailand and all who participated on that day had proven was that when it comes to building a brighter future for sea turtles and other marine life, a little love can go a long way.



*Article taken from the MINI Source

Let's Stuff MINI Deeds!

We're calling out to all of the Community Heroes out there to donate any gently used sporting goods lying around your house, taking up space and simply not being used. These items will help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season.

There's plenty of schools, charities and other organizations that will most definately give these items a good use. We want to make sure that kids in need live fun, healthy, active lives. Until the holiday season ends, MINI Deeds and I will be accepting donations throughout Calgary.

Find our next location here on our blog and drop off your items wherever you find us on location. You can also drop them off directly at MINI Crowfoot or contact MINI Deeds and Carlos by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy come to your office or home to pick them up!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

Find us at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4!