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Let Dad Decide: Happy Father’s Day

Jun 19

Posted by admin in life

So many options for Father’s Day.  After an email from every restaurant with a special Sunday brunch, dinner, or an offer to feed the kids for free, I’ve decided to share a few suggestions of my own.

–Giving Dad something for the grill is like giving Mom (on Mother’s Day) a new kitchen tool or a handy cooking device. Another day. Sure he loves to grill and everyone likes the post-grill kitchen clean-up, but another spatula, another day.

–Taking Dad out to eat on Father’s Day just means lots of people, lots of lines, and potentially less than stellar service. Make it yourself: That’ll be a better treat. Go ahead, you pop it on the grill! Remember, clean-up’s easy.

Dad might prefer a trip to a winery: Every state now produces wine. Lots of ‘em figured out how to make it a family affair so Dad gets to do what he wants, and the family is occupied with arts ‘n crafts, food vendors, and activities for the underage set. Check out your neighboring vineyards.images

Maybe he could catch a ballgame in person or via television. Sorry, Strasburg fans, he’s not pitching today.

Repeat the Mantra: Give Dad a break; let him decide his Day.

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Water: How Much?

May 19

Posted by admin in health, life, news

May is a busy month for accolades. Besides all the food-focused holidays, it is also National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. In order to help with our obesity numbers, physical activity and daily exercise remain important components. If you’ve been thinking about getting outdoors and doing something for yourself, this is a good month to take the pledge. Speaking of the pledge, there is the President’s Challenge which focuses us on daily activities to improve overall health.

Just a few helpful reminders. We need to be properly hydrated. That phrase gets mired in complexity. Does everyone, regardless of size, health condition, or physical activity, need the same amount of water a day? Can the sport dictate the rules? How about the length of the activity? The time of day? All relevant questions, but hydration is not a single-focused, exclusive phenomena. If you plan to start running today, grabbing a couple water bottles will not do the trick. Sure, they won’t hurt but that is not considered proper hydrating.

Let’s look at a few factors. Jimmy Connors one of tennis’s great athletes used to get leg cramps if he didn’t prepare for a match with an intensive amount of water for several days prior to the matches. He could feel them coming on and knew his lack of (water) diligence was going to cause pain. Research also indicates you can overdose on water and that can have a debilitating effect. Getting the balance can be accomplished by a daily intake of water which matches your daily physical commitment. Many recommend a sports drink to supplement water as you’ll be losing too much water through perspiration. Or, just give your water an energy boost with powder packs to turn it into a more powerful beverage. Over or under-doing liquids has severe negative consequences from leg cramps and extreme nausea to heat-related medical problems.propelpaks

No one needs to remind you about sunscreen and time of day. OK, I just did, but application of the SPF’s and reapplication may be a long-term critical commitment. There are numerous products that reduce the sweating off (as in dripping into your eyes) during physical activity. Until you find the right balance of fluids and have your activity in a manageable zone, consider skipping the high noon workout or consider an indoor regimen when it’s 100 humid degrees. Keep your body hydrated no matter time of day or physical activity.

Participate. Drink. Be smart.

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What You Say Matters: Foods Talk

Apr 6

Posted by admin in food universe, life

Sometimes you get a waiter that just can’t get over the stumbling block. Words literally trip over each other and contradict themselves. That makes dining a little bit of a challenge and a testimony to how badly you want that cup of coffee. Let me give you a few examples of a simple outing for a cup of coffee and a light dessert.

–”Sure you can look at the menus, but doubt we have much of them.” This led to a long circular course of confusion focusing on what do you have, but what’s this mean, and what about this?

–When we asked if we could order a bowl of berries, the response proved truly elusive. “I guess I could ask for berries, but we have a big bowl of fruit that they may want to send out.”

–We ordered the big bowl of fruit which turned out to be a sherbet cup of Ginsu, razor-thin sliced bites of an assortment of fruits, some of which had more of a winter feel than a truly springtime essence. Yes, there was a strawberry if you count one berry dissected into slivers that encircled the dish! Strawberries have been lush this year and wonderfully priced–not so hard to serve a bowl of berries!RMD_Photos_2_Strawberries

–Taking the order was as confusing as delivering it. There was nothing complex ordered, but the delivery proved elusive: “Who had the tart?”

–Nothing was as complex as the taking of the check. The check was delivered and after several attempts to pick it up, mind you the restaurant was not crowded, we asked if they were closing and if we needed to pay up quickly. “Sadly, someone just showed up so you have at least a half an hour.”

That’s the real takeaway: “Sadly,” he said as in I’m not getting out of here for awhile so take your time.

Maybe it was his delivery or his overall level of confusion. Maybe staff training might make the whole experience easier for him. He was kind; not rude. He was the representative of an enterprise that could not work. Create a menu the staff understands and can deliver. Let the server know what exactly is going on and what needs to be communicated to a guest.

Yes, it is the hospitality industry.

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Tea’s Too Weak for Many

Mar 1

Posted by admin in beverages, life

Ever wonder about the strength of a caffeinated beverage? There are those who believe tea is too weak; tea drinkers are not hyped enough. Last week The Tea Party people made headlines. This week a new  group popped up with gusto! Coffee and its kindred beverages that are given a caffeine boost are making headlines with the recent launch of the Coffee Party.

What started as a comment turned into a social media Facebook success story: Incredible numbers decided to join up.

I always knew that coffee had a more vocal following; after all that caffeine has to be put to good use somewhere.

Politics aside Coffee Klatches have been around for a long time. It’s hard to describe the current state of the country as being divided between the teas and the coffees or the amount of juiced up caffeine in our spirit, but that seems to be where we are.

Pick your drink and your politics.cup

I’ll stick with the double espresso.

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Support the Little Guy

Feb 27

Posted by admin in food universe, life

The wind is howling. The snow is still piled up, but the little guy is hanging out there waiting for you.

Not every restaurant has the high rent problem. Some have solved the dilemma by getting a food truck. Remember this was a strong trend at the end of the decade and continues to be an ever-present one, regardless of the weather.  IMG00761

Some cities are lined with food carts, and you quickly learn who’s got what and where to find the best hot meal. No matter the competition, the goal is the same: Quality food at affordable prices. Even with a smile!

Time to get onto Twitter and find where some of the mobile ones are hanging out.

These are the little businesses that need our loyalty even if the snow is still piled high along the street.

BTW, the falafel is excellent!

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The 3-Pounder

Feb 4

Posted by admin in Economy, food universe, life

Don’t get excited; I’m not talking about a burger eating contest. I’m sure someone is ready to test his personal best, and prove his overeating mettle, but I’m talking fruit. Most likely a healthier discussion!

Yes, something’s going on at the grocery store. Somebody very smart, somewhere, figured out that buying fruit by the pound could tip the scales over the budget limits, but buying affordable 3-lb bags seemed somehow logical. With the economy in its current circular cycle, shoppers needed products in more manageable sizes: They could no longer afford to fill their kitchens with 10 lb bags of an assortment of fruits. Welcome to the 3-pound bags.

Selection varies from store to store, but there are multiple varieties within a category such as apples: Saw 4-5 different types of apples (even found organic honey crisps) in this 3 lber easy-to-carry bagapplebags. Another positive besides price, storage, and variety, they were smaller apples: Perfect lunch box or brown bag size. Hey, someone has figured this out.

There are small bags of all types of oranges, too. Not seen much in the way of grapefruit, but figure this year with the various negative temperature cycles, small grapefruits will become popular, too.

We’re talking economy of scale.

OK, economy.

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A Sweetheart Deal

Jan 19

Posted by admin in life

Remember the clock is ticking: February is just around the corner which means Valentine’s Day marketing is in full swing.

Check this out: The New Sweetheart messages have evolved and changed with the times with fruity new flavors, bright colors and modern messages. Sure you can still get a “sweetie,” a “love me,” but how about the new ones:tweetme

–Text Me or Tweet Me

We can’t seem to escape our universe of smartphone mantras. The company even came up with an IPhone App that works with your Twitter account. Here you can personalize your messages to say what you want. Remember we said you could do that with chocolate bars and M&Ms, and now a real sweetheart deal.

So the next time you can’t tweet and find the web overloaded, you know the Sweetheart approach is taking over.

Tweet, tweet, you cute little birdie. Oh, that’s so yesterday.

Privacy alert.

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Fruit to Sleep

Dec 18

Posted by admin in health, life

Everyone knows caffeine is bad late at night; it keeps you awake. That is unless your body is conditioned to enjoy it as part of a great dinner or a special, soothing hot beverage to cap an evening. It’s conditioning. Coffee is the enemy and keeps you awake only if you let it! Trust me. I live the late-nite double espresso existence.

What if  you are on the other end of the spectrum? What if the caffeine gets you? What then helps you fall asleep and sleep soundly? There are those that suggest a warm glass of milk instead of the hot coffee. Or the camp that says a bowl of cereal–milk again tops the list for its calcium-inducing factors. How about other strategies to help awaken the melatonin and get the sleep juices going?

A new report says a handful of dried cherries or even a banana about an hour before bedtime does the trick. No wonder the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City, Michigan offers a cherry massage. It’s a natural! Also not coincidental that this is the location of the annual National Cherry Festival. Not a difficult food to honor!  Tasty and good for you: A perfect combination.cherry

Sleep well.

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Watching Food

Nov 6

Posted by admin in life

Some people like to watch paint dry. I, on the other hand, have a fascination with food.

If sushi chefs taught us anything, it was that customers love to watch their food being made. It somehow conveys a freshness not otherwise exhibited when one buys a plasticized food container. Yes, someone made that item somewhere, but when and where?

When we go to a Mexican restaurant and someone is manning the tortilla machine we get that warm, cuddly, freshness feel. Yes, tortillas somehow taste better when we see the machine in action!

We like to watch. (I’m not talking about high-end restaurants where the magic is delicately performed at stations in the kitchen). I’m talking about a different food tier. We feel comfortable ordering what we see being prepared. That’s why grocers have expanded their takeaway sections with meals you can put together for a set price. You make the selection based on what you see. It feels far cleaner and fresher than the salad bar approach to dining.

How about a machine that makes fresh rice cakes while you watch! First off, the concept is fun, and the flavor means you’ll forgo the packaged products forever. Hello, CocoPop Machine. individual rice cake Yes, these circular gems literally pop out of the machine and into the individual order. You’ll question the packaged rice cakes you’ve been snacking on for years.

If you see the machine in action, like I did today at a brand, spanking new Wegmans, you’ll be hooked on the lightness of the taste. If they are doing samples, try it with the organic jam. Now we’re talking a pairing! This type of interactive food display makes shopping fun again. Trust me: No cardboard aftertaste!

Seeing food being prepared can enhance the palate.

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Seriously, Andre

Oct 28

Posted by admin in life, tennis

I think I could have managed nicely reading your book and never learning about the crystal meth and the deception.

I would have been happy believing you were clean and that you demonstrated what hard work and untold hours of practice could accomplish.

I would have survived nicely practicing my game; thinking back on great wins and believing that natural talent could be supplemented naturally.

No. You ruined it. I did not need to know.

Then the final confession that you secretly hated playing tennis.

Seriously, what are you on now?

Let’s see how your name sells now?agassi

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