Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

New Releases in Children’s Books

In Mona Lisa in New York by Yevgenia Nayberg (3/9/21; ISBN: 978-3791374451; Hardcover $14.95; Ages 4-8; 32 pages), a love letter to New York City, Mona Lisa is a tourist who experiences the city for the first time, and finds art, love, and inspiration in unexpected places.

Mona Lisa is taking a trip to New York from the Louvre. Yes, that Mona Lisa. The one with the knowing smile. After hanging in the museum for a while she decides to explore the city. She slips out of her painting and meets Tag, a street art figure. He takes her on an adventure from the Bronx to the Brooklyn Bridge and it turns out Mona Lisa doesn’t know as much as she thought. In this beautiful and charming book, artist Yevgenia Nayberg, an immigrant to New York herself, shows young readers the city she has fallen in love with. Cleverly portraying da Vinci’s iconic subject as a world-weary, know-it-all, Nayberg takes readers on a tour of New York. Mona Lisa and Tag eat pizza in the Bronx, listen to jazz in Harlem, dance to salsa music on the High Line, and swim at Brighton Beach. As Mona Lisa says goodbye to her new friend, she–and the readers–come away with a profound appreciation of the city and its wonders.

Spend hours navigating the world’s great rivers with Great Rivers of the World by Volker Mehnert and illustrated by Martin Haake (3/23/21; ISBN: 978-3791374703; Hardcover $19.95; Ages 8-12; 40 pages), a vibrant, fact-filled book for kids that blends geography, history, and culture.

Where in the Rhein does the Nibelung Treasure lie? What river helps mark the prime meridian? Why do people make pilgrimages to the Indian city of Benares? Why is the Mekong called the “Nine Dragon” river in Vietnam? How does the Mississippi divide and unite the United States? These and hundreds of other facts are explored in this wonderfully illustrated atlas of the world’s great rivers. Each spread in this book offers a colorful map packed with drawings, figures, and facts. Cities that border the rivers are highlighted, as are distinct flora and fauna, significant natural and human-made features, and fascinating historical details. A “biography” of each river describes where it flows, and its importance to the communities it passes through. Special attention is given to the ecological health of the rivers–those that are thriving and those in danger of losing their valuable habitats. Along the way, young readers will come to understand the enormous impact that rivers have on our lives, while learning valuable information in a way that will spark their curiosity and imagination.

Join scientists on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica in illustrated children’s book Antarctica: A Continent of Wonder by Mario Cuesta Hernando and illustrated by Raquel Martín (4/20/21; ISBN: 978-3791374567; Hardcover $19.95; Ages 5-8; 48 pages).

Come aboard the Polar Star and accompany its crew on their half-year stay in Antarctica. Through full-page illustrations, children will experience the work and life of these explorers and scientists as they study penguins, whales, and seals, measure the depth of the ice, chart wind speeds of up to 186 mph (300km/h), examine old volcanoes, and withstand some of the lowest temperatures ever recorded. Kids will also learn about Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, the legendary explorers who first set foot on Antarctica. Equal parts thrilling adventure and in-depth exploration, this book is an unforgettable illustrated expedition to Antarctica that is sure to satisfy the boldest bedtime traveler.

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Virtual Record Broken – True Aussie

What an AUSSOME night! Thank you to everyone who joined us on January 26 for our World’s Largest Dinner Party world record attempt. It was a food-filled night with our mates, Jet Tila, Aaron Brooks, Renee Scharoff, Shereen Pavlides and more.

Now we wait for accreditation.

Meanwhile, it’s almost Valentine’s Day.

A date night in sounds perfect for Cupid’s day, yes? Cook up a delicious grassfed steak or serve the perfect Aussie lamb rack for just the two of you. Pair with a deep red wine and roses and you’re golden.

We can help! Check out our favorite Australian beef and lamb recipes to wow your valentine. Just visit our website to see them.

For more information click here

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Bored Games

We’re now just shy of a year into the pandemic and I’m not sure there’s anyone out there who hasn’t gone at least a little stir-crazy. This is just one of the reasons I was excited to see the book BORED GAMES on our spring list! The 100+ games in this book are perfect to play with spouses, kids, siblings, roommates, close friends or anyone you’re comfortable competing against. They’ll help take you out of your own head and connect with your household for a fun night in. They can be modified to play on your favorite video conferencing platform – bye bye awkward zoom and hello intergenerational family laugh-fest with a 1920s dance-off, or get all the juicy gossip with an online never-would-i-ever with your friends (and lots of wine!).

The games in this book come in all varieties; some require a few household items to play with, many require nothing but imagination and a competitive spirit. There are art & creativity games (Mad Lib Story, Mug Shots); competition games (Apple on a String, Name the Celebrity); decade party games (Pin the Mullet on the Dude, Dress-and-Dash Relay); dinner party games (All Thumbs, Musical Teacups); group games (Improv in a Bag, Prediction Bingo); minute-to-win games (Leap Spoon, Tabletop Pyramid); summer games (Carrot Toss, Puff Ball Fight); scavenger hunt games; and truth-or-dare games.

We could all use one more tool in our arsenal when it comes to combatting quarantine fatigue, so why not give BORED GAMES a try?

For more information click here

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Pitbull to be Grand Marshal for Daytona 500

Sunday, February 14

GRAMMY®-winning international superstar, Pitbull, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 63rd DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 14, and will give the command for drivers to start their engines (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

“It’s an honor to be named Grand Marshal for the 63rd DAYTONA 500,” said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull).

“It’s exciting to mix culture, music and sports into motor racing. I’m humbled how embracing the NASCAR community and fans around the world have been about me joining the Trackhouse family. Unity at its finest. So let’s get ready to start engines, DALE (Dah-lay)!”

“We’re honored to have someone as accomplished and respected as Pitbull be a part of the 63rd running of the Daytona 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile. “He is not just a world renowned artist, Pitbull has made his mark as a philanthropist and businessman, most recently announcing he has joined the NASCAR ranks as a co-owner with Justin Marks at Trackhouse Racing with driver Daniel Suárez. We’re proud to welcome Pitbull to our great sport and I can’t wait to hear him deliver the most famous words in motorsports ahead of the Great American Race.”

With countless awards, dozens of international number ones, hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, single sales of over 80 million, and cumulative views in excess of 15 billion, Pitbull owns one of the most impressive careers in music history, setting the stage for him to make true change. Not only did he successfully help establish Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!) tuition-free public charter schools across the country, he was honored by the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of “Clean Water Here.” He is also a partner in eMerge Americas, the annual tech and innovation summit held in Miami, and he was honored alongside music legends as well as Nobel Peace Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners at the 2019 International Achievement Summit.

In January, Pitbull was announced as an ownership partner in the new NASCAR Cup Series team, Trackhouse Racing, set to make their NASCAR debut at the DAYTONA 500 with the No. 99 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Suárez.

For information on the 2021 DAYTONA 500 and all Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, which kicks off on Tuesday, Feb. 9 with the 43rd Annual Busch Clash on the DAYTONA Road Course under the lights, fans can visit www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

All Speedweeks events will be conducted in accordance with enhanced safety protocols and procedures to provide a safe environment for guests, NASCAR competitors, employees and the local community. All guests will be screened before entering the facility and will be required to wear face coverings while maintaining six feet social distancing throughout their visit.

For more information click here

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Nutpods Plant-based creamer

I wanted to fill you in on nutpods, the plant based creamer that has zero sugar and adds the perfect taste and texture to your morning coffee routine. nutpods exists because their CEO, Madeline Hayden saw that plant based creamers and non plant based creamers were loaded with sugar. Madeline wanted to simplify the ingredient list for a coffee creamer, and nutpods was established.

Based out of Seattle, WA, nutpods is available in a number of flavors to include vanilla, hazelnut, caramel and original. nutpods retails for $6.99 in over 45 of 50 major grocery store chains across the entire United States.

For more information click here

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Valentine Tablescapes – Angie’s

Angie’s Table’s tablescapes are designed tablescapes meant to beautify your dining table, giving you more time to focus on other aspects of event planning. Want to take it a step further? How about asking Angie to customize a tablescape to match the theme of your event/celebration? It’s an even more personal, authentic, and unique in these times that we are all in.

Introducing the new, “Will you be my Valentine” Tablescape and the “Love is in the Air” Tablescape. This Valentine’s Day transform your dining room into a five-star restaurant with Angie’s Tables tablescapes.

For more information click here

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Chocolate Heart Pizza – Sugar Plum

SUGAR PLUM’S BROKEN HEART CHOCOLATE PIZZA (COMPLETE WITH MALLET)
Heartbreak Never Felt or Tasted This Good!

This is the best broken heart you have ever had! Sugar Plum’s Chocolate Heart Pizza is a unique treat that you are simply bound to fall head over heels for. Every one of these Chocolate Heart Pizzas comes with a wooden mallet, so you can feel free break this heart into bite-sized bits knowing it’ll never return the favor! Sugar Plum tops their 12-ounce milk chocolate “pizza” with crushed pretzels, cookies, potato chips, candied chocolate gems, and a drizzle of white chocolate. Too luscious to save just for the lovelorn, this sweet is also a cheeky change from boxed candy and a deliciously fun dessert for any gathering. $35

For more information click here

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Weed Wine – Honest Marijuana

Weed Wine: What is it And How To Make It

There are actually two types of weed wine — jackpot, right! — alcoholic and nonalcoholic (a.k.a. dealcoholized).

Alcoholic weed wine is just regular wine mixed with your favorite strain of cannabis. There’s a bit more involved than just dumping a baggie of pot into a bottle of wine.

With the alcoholic variety of weed wine, it’s also important to remember that you’ll get a one-two punch of alcohol and marijuana, so be sure to take it easy until you get used to the effects.

Nonalcoholic weed wine is regular wine that has been dealcoholized, mixed with additives to reintroduce flavor and texture, and combined with cannabis to give you the stoner experience.

With this type of weed wine, the cannabis, rather than the alcohol, gives the beverage its potency and effects.

You can’t make nonalcoholic weed wine at home — it requires some fancy and expensive equipment — but the product is growing more popular and is finding its way into more and more dispensaries across the country.

The History Of Weed Wine

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Though professionally produced weed wine is made with modern techniques and modern technology, the process of infusing wine and other liquids — such as tea, coffee, water, and milk — has been around for thousands of years. In fact, weed tea was probably the first edible in recorded history and you know some cannagenius steeped weed into his or her wine shortly thereafter. The early methods for making weed wine are still viable today and, like weed tea, simply involve soaking dried, cured, and decarboxylated weed in your favorite brand of vino.

How Modern Weed Wine Is Made
Modern weed wine manufacturers make use of blended nanoemulsions rather than simply infusing (steeping) the cannabis in the liquid. Nanoemulsions are oil-based, water-soluble solutions that dissolve more readily into liquids. These emulsions are made by using energy to break up oil into smaller and smaller droplets. The droplets are then encapsulated in specially formulated solutions so that they will remain suspended (dissolved) in liquids. Without this modern emulsion process, the cannabis oils would eventually separate and your bottle of weed wine would look like a lava lamp.

How To Make Your Own Weed Wine
Stove-Top Method
Ingredients
⅛ to ¼ ounce of high-quality cannabis
Cheesecloth
Your favorite wine
Grinder
Punch bowl or large pot
Pan
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Weed Wine Pairings
If this is your first time making your own weed wine, you may be wondering what weed strains and wine varieties pair well together.

Here’s what we’ve discovered over the years:

Indicas work well with bold and robust wines
Sativas work well with light and sweet wines
As a general rule, dry wines infuse better than lighter wines
For best flavor and experience, we recommend considering these guidelines when making your own weed wine, but don’t be afraid to experiment and try something completely different.

Instructions
Decarboxylate your buds in a 230-degree oven for 110 minutes (your kitchen, and the rest of your house, WILL smell like weed so plan accordingly).
Let the cannabis cool completely.
Shred the buds in a grinder (not too small)
Dump the decarboxylated, ground ganja in the center of a cheesecloth.
Depending on how much cannabis you have and how big your cheesecloth is, you may have to use more than one.
Tie the corners together to form a closed bag.
Pour your wine into a punch bowl or large pot.
Place cheesecloth bags into the wine.
Cover the container with plastic wrap
Store the container in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
Stir occasionally.
At the end of the steeping period, remove the weed bags from the wine and squeeze to get all the cannabinoids out.
Pour the wine through a clean piece of cheesecloth or a small-hole strainer before serving.
Enjoy!
Though this method of infusing cannabis into your favorite wine does take a long time, the results are well worth the wait.

Need something faster? Try the crockpot method in the next section.

Crockpot Method
Ingredients
Crockpot
⅛ to ¼ ounce of high-quality cannabis
Cheesecloth
Your favorite wine
Grinder
Pan
Aluminum foil
Instructions
Decarboxylate your weed in a 230-degree oven for 110 minutes.
Let the cannabis cool completely.
Shred the buds in a grinder (not too small)
Dump the decarboxylated, ground ganja in the center of a cheesecloth.
Depending on how much cannabis you have and how big your cheesecloth is, you may have to use more than one.
Tie the corners together to form a closed bag.
Pour your favorite wine into the crockpot.
If you want to add herbs and spices to the wine (cinnamon, for example, is perfect for the holidays), now is the time to do so.
Set the crockpot on low and let the weed wine steep for two hours.
Check the mixture every 20 or 30 minutes to ensure that the liquid isn’t exceeding a slow boil (any more than that and you run the risk of burning the weed and cooking away the wine).
At the end of two hours, turn off the crockpot and let the wine cool.
Remove the weed bags.
Pour the weed wine through a clean cheesecloth or small-hole strainer.
Serve and enjoy.
This is a great recipe for ganja get-togethers because it’s easy to assemble and cooks quickly. You can even drink it warm on a cold winter’s day.

Start Your Weed Wine Adventure Slowly
All edibles — including weed wine — are slow-acting and long-lasting. This is because the THC or CBD has to travel through your digestive system and then through your circulatory system before it reaches your brain. As a result, you may have to wait anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes to feel the effects. Once they hit, though, they can last from 6 to 10 hours. Then you’ve got the effects of the alcohol to contend with (if you drink the alcoholic variety). Alcohol acts more quickly than cannabis so you may feel a bit of a blur within 5 to 10 minutes of imbibing that lasts for 30 to 90 minutes.

Regardless of which type of weed wine you drink, take it slow. Don’t chug a glass and, when nothing happens, chug another one. That’s a recipe for disaster. Sip and savor the wine in your glass, talk with your friends, and wait for the experience to kick in.

Buy Or DIY?
Buying weed wine is probably the easiest way to get a good high because everything is done for you. All you have to do is pour a glass and enjoy. But with that convenience comes the question of what’s inside. What strains did the brewer use? Were the strains grown organically? Are there added chemicals to worry about? Home-brewed weed wine eliminates all those questions. Yes, you have to contend with the potent mix of alcohol and cannabis, but, if you’re careful, the combination can be a lot of fun.

We suggest trying both before settling on the one that works best for you.

If you’re looking for a marijuana high in drinkable form, choose a store-bought, dealcoholized weed wine. If you can’t get professionally-manufactured weed wine in your area, give one of the DIY methods outlined above a try.

It really comes down to personal preference, so it’s always better to try both options, experience what they have to offer — flavor, aroma, texture, potency, quality of experience — and then make that your go-to weed wine.

The Best Weed Wine Is Made From High-Quality Strains
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Regardless of whether you buy or DIY, the best weed wines are those made from high-quality marijuana strains. For this, and all marijuana products, the old adage is true: Quality in equals quality out. When you buy (or brew) weed wine made from high-quality, organic ingredients (like the strains from Honest Marijuana), you get the best possible final product that money can buy. Sure, you can save money by steeping regs and mids in your vino, but that will result in a low-quality final product that will produce less-than-stellar effects.

Going with high quality strains is the best way to drink your weed. Cheers!

Bio: Anthony Franciosi, also known as Ant, is an honest to goodness farmer whose fingers are as green as the organic cannabis he grows. He is the proud founder of Honest Marijuana- an all natural, completely organic growery in Colorado.

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STEEPED COFFEE “PACKS FOR GOOD”

For the holidays and beyond, Steeped Coffee, known for its simple award-winning brewing method that has become the standard for single-serve specialty coffee, is proud to announce the launch of its PACKS FOR GOOD program (steepedcoffee.com/packsforgood).

The new ongoing PACKS FOR GOOD initiative helps support a growing list of charities through partner pages on the Steeped Coffee website using a giving code, where Steeped gives back 20% of all sales as a donation to each non-profit to support their mission.

To kickoff PACKS FOR GOOD Steeped Coffee is shining light on the current growing hunger crisis right here in America affecting our communities and neighbors by donating to Feeding America. To show support, use code FEEDINGAMERICA at checkout and Steeped will donate 20% of total sales to Feeding America and its member food banks.

“We know that access to nutritious food is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Yet many people across the country may not know where they will find their next meal and the pandemic further exacerbates this issue,” said Blake Thompson, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Feeding America.

As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief and food rescue organization, Feeding America is a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provides food assistance to more than 40 million people annually. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Feeding America estimates that more than 50 million people could be food insecure in the United States this year, including 17 million children.

Steeped, Inc., a Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp has a double bottom line of Purpose Beyond Profits. “We are always looking for ways Steeped can serve as a positive force for good,” said Josh Wilbur, CEO and Founder of Steeped Coffee. “PACKS FOR GOOD lets us generously give with 20% to meet the moment now and into the future as a vehicle for other organizations.”

Steeped Coffee is one of the only brewing methods that doesn’t require a machine, grinder, or special equipment to prepare premium coffee. Brewed similar to tea, Steeped Packs only need water to make a fresh cup of barista approved coffee. Each pack contains hand-roasted ground coffee that is nitro sealed for freshness in fully compostable packaging. The company’s proprietary brewing method bypasses any risks of using a communal coffee pot and has quickly been adopted by hundreds of the nation’s top coffee roasting companies and brands.

“There is no doubt we’ll never forget these times, but it’s what we do for others, even the small things, that will be remembered,” says Wilbur. “As a startup in these crazy times, Steeped is looking to do anything within reach to make a difference and encourage others to do the same. We know that every small act will all add up to make a big difference.”

In March, Steeped also launched the “Stay Home, Stay Steeped” campaign to encourage customers to stay home by providing free home delivery on all coffee, cups, kettles, and gear. The offer has been extended indefinitely and aims to help those adjusting to new rituals at home, and routines while working from home.

In April, Steeped, Inc. also launched “You Give, We Give” (steepedcoffee.com/yougivewegive), a campaign to help fuel and lift the spirits of frontline doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, and first responders as they battle the COVID-19 crisis. “You Give, We Give” invited people to gift Steeped Coffee Packs to those on the front lines, with Steeped matching all gifts, pack for pack, and providing free weekly deliveries directly to the hospitals, stations, and clinics where they’re needed most. The program was featured on the Ellen Show as well as by several celebrities and over 70,000 packs have been donated across the country.

Visit steepedcoffee.com/packsforgood to learn more and show your support for those struggling with hunger across America.

About Steeped Coffee

Steeped, Inc. based in Santa Cruz, California, is a Certified B Corp and Benefit Corporation focused on every detail from farm-to-cup and beyond, to bring people the most convenient, high quality, ethically sourced, and sustainably packaged products available. Steeped Coffee is the new single-serve coffee standard helping to make quality coffee accessible within Guilt-Free Packaging. The proprietary Steeped Brewing Method delivers 100% freshly roasted, precision ground, and nitro-sealed specialty coffee pre-portioned within Steeped Full Immersion Filters. Steeped Coffee is the simplest way to make a perfect cup of coffee by just adding water, with no machine needed.

Steeped Coffee is available on Amazon with Prime Free Delivery, at premium supermarkets, luxury hotels, and offices with craft coffee and at-home services. Through licensed partnerships, Steeped, Inc. works with over 200 specialty coffee roasters to share its technology and brewing method around the globe. For more information, visit steepedcoffee.com. For business inquiries, contact sales@steepedcoffee.com or visit steepedcoffee.com/business.

Features of Steeped Coffee include:

Hand Roasted Specialty Coffee: no instant powders, just delicious coffee
No Machines Required: unplugged single-serve convenience
Guilt-Free Packaging: made using fully compostable and renewable materials
Nitro-Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
Full Immersion Filter: renewable plant-based non-GMO compostable filters that regulate ideal water-in and maximum flavor-out
Ultrasonically Sealed: no glues, staples, or wasted materials for max steeping
Precision Ground: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
Pre-Portioned: optimal SCA recommended water-to-coffee ratios
Barista Approved: continuously tested by multiple independent specialty coffee Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste
Just + Water: a simple cup

For more information click here

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Cookies for the Holidays – Sugar Plum

We missed National Cookie Day! But fear not, cookies are still out there, and the ones from Sugar Plum are FANTASTIC.

 

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Traveling this holiday? Think seat protector! – Assuage

Many people are making their travel plans. One thing that should be included in that plan is taking measures to ensure that travel is safer, which will help reduce exposure to viruses and germs. One company, Assuage, is making it simple for people to have clean, germ-free, seating anywhere they go. Its new seat protectors may be lightweight and easy to take along, but they provide a crucial barrier before taking a seat.

“Whether we are traveling across town or across the country, we will need to take a seat at some point,” explains Amelia Gundersen-Herman, co-founder of Assuage. “Do yourself a favor and put a simple barrier between your body and that public seat. Doing so can go a long way toward helping you to avoid those germs and viruses, and to help keep you healthy while traveling.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, the COVID-19 virus can be detected on some surfaces for up to three days. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the flu virus can live on some surfaces for up to 48 hours. This makes it crucial that surfaces be properly and routinely disinfected. However, many public seats are overlooked and are not being cleaned as often as they should be. This makes it important for people to take matters into their own hands in order to help reduce exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses.

Assuage makes it simple for people to have a clean place to take a seat. The convenient seat covers were made for people on the go. They are lightweight, small, and easy to carry around.

The seat protectors created by Assuage have been designed to fit most seats and take just seconds to put over them. The elastic around the edges helps hold the seat protector in place, so that it won’t slide around or fall down like a blanket or towel would. The Ultra Cozy model is reusable and is made from comfortable, soft, breathable fleece. The Recyclable model is meant for a single-use and can then be dropped into a recycling bin. Assuage seat protectors are ideal for anyone who may be in a situation where they will be using public seating including airplanes, public transportation, waiting rooms, salons, theaters, classrooms, stadiums, rental cars, and more.

“We cannot leave it up to businesses to ensure that everything is properly sanitized all of the time,” added TJ Wronski, co-founder of Assuage. “That’s why we created this product. Our seat protectors not only create a necessary barrier on the seat, but they also bring people peace of mind. That alone makes traveling more enjoyable anytime of the year.”

The Ultra Cozy reusable seat protector comes in three colors, including blue skies, jet black, and sakura blossom pink. It comes with a reusable carry bag, making it easy to tote around. Simply stretch the elastic top over the back of the headrest, and there’s a barrier on the seat. The Ultra Cozy is machine-washable and made from soft 100% polyester fleece. The Recyclable seat protector is made of all recyclable materials, is soft, and comes in a resealable package of two. To learn more about the seat protectors, visit the site at: https://www.assuagetravel.com/. To see a video of how Assuage seat protectors are used, visit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2KtJKXUo9hOOIoI_-JUQg/.

Assuage was created by Amelia Gundersen-Herman and TJ Wronski, who reside in Dubai. She is a Pennsylvania native who has a master’s degree in international business. He is a native of the Toronto area and has a master’s degree in business administration. Their U.S. business is centered out of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, while their Canadian business is centered out of the Toronto area. The company was started out of the necessity for making sure that their family was protected during their heavy commuting and traveling.

For more information click here

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Procrastibaking

Our holidays look different this year – and so do our place settings, ingredient quantities, and levels of patience. Enter Erin Gardner, former pastry chef, baking and cake design instructor, and author of Procrastibaking: 100 Recipes for Getting Nothing Done in the Most Delicious Way Possible (March 2020, Atria Books). Erin has created several low-stress and absolutely delicious ways to approach baking in this new holiday landscape:

· If you’re celebrating the holidays alone or in a smaller group than you’re used to, she’s downsized some of her most popular recipes including her Olive Oil Apple Snack Cake, Double Chocolate Mint Cookies, a Giant (Mini) Cinnamon Roll Scone, Gingersnaps, and more.

· If you’re far away from family members and want to send them a sweet treat, she’s compiled recipes that store and travel well. Recipes include Granola Bars, Almond Biscotti, Neapolitan Marshmallows, and Sunflower Toffee.

· For a unique gift idea for local friends and family, she suggests you drop off festive containers with balls of frozen cookie or scone dough. Recipes perfect for freezing include Cinnamon Roll Scones, Roasted Tomato Scones, Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies, Double-Chocolate Mint Cookies, and Ginger Sandies.

And, from now until Christmas, she’s running the Procrastibakers Super Snuggly Socially Isolated Holiday Baking Club, which will be a community gathered around her Instagram account, @erin.bakes. Every Wednesday, she’ll feature reduced-size recipes from Procrastibaking and more pandemic isolation-friendly baking ideas. Users who post pictures of their baked goods with the hashtag #procrastibakersclub are automatically entered to win weekly book giveaways and other prizes.

Erin was named one of the best wedding cake makers by both Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides; she’s competed and won the Food Network show Sweet Genius. Now, she’s here to guide us through the far less glamorous task of enjoying the holidays in the home kitchens we haven’t really left in months: She really does it all. In March, The New York Times called Procrastibaking “The delicious distraction we need these days,” and that still couldn’t be truer.

For more information click here

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