Tag Archives: Shopping

My Israel and Me by Alice McGinty

Coming this fall:
Kalaniot Books will be publishing My Israel and Me by Alice McGinty and illustrated by Rotem Teplow (9/21/2021; ISBN: 978-1-7350875-3-5; Hardcover $19.99; Ages 4-11; 32 pages). In recent history, Israel’s role in the world’s consciousness has been one of conflict, but over the centuries, millions of people have also traced their history, culture, and religion back to this tiny desert land. The result is a country with an incredible variety of peoples and traditions, and a diaspora that still feels connected to that homeland, thinking of it as “My Israel.”

Told in verse, the book introduces readers to the diversity of Israel’s people from a child’s perspective. Explanatory text sheds light on the varied cultures and traditions that inspire the special connection many feel with “their Israel.” Though coincidental, this book has arrived at a critical time and Kalaniot Books hopes it proves useful to parents and educators in starting thoughtful conversations and sharing their own insights about the complicated feelings surrounding modern day Israel.

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OF WOMEN AND SALT by Gabriela Garcia -book club event

OF WOMEN AND SALT is the sweeping, masterful debut by Gabriela Garcia — about a daughter’s fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own past, and a family legacy that begins in Cuba before either of them were born.

In present-day Miami, Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt.

From 19th-century cigar factories to present-day detention centers, from Cuba to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt is a kaleidoscopic portrait of betrayals — personal and political, self-inflicted and those done by others — that have shaped the lives of these extraordinary women.

A haunting meditation on the choices of mothers, the legacy of the memories they carry, and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their stories despite those who wish to silence them, this is more than a diaspora story; it is a story of America’s most tangled, honest, human roots.

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THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB

On paper, Jazmine, Judith, Erin and Sara have little in common – they’re very different people leading very different lives. And yet at book club meetings in an historic carriage house turned bookstore, they bond over a shared love of reading (and more than a little wine) as well as the growing realization that their lives are not turning out like they expected.

Former tennis star Jazmine is a top sports agent balancing a career and single motherhood. Judith is an empty nester questioning her marriage and the supporting role she chose. Erin’s high school sweetheart and fiancé develops a bad case of cold feet, and Sara’s husband takes a job out of town saddling Sara with a difficult mother-in-law who believes her son could have done better – not exactly the roommate most women dream of.

With the help of books, laughter, and the joy of ever evolving friendships, Jazmine, Judith, Erin and Sara find the courage to navigate new and surprising chapters of their lives as they seek their own versions of happily-ever-after.

Wendy Wax, a former broadcaster, is the author of sixteen novels and two novellas, including My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding, Best Beach Ever, One Good Thing, Sunshine Beach, A Week at the Lake, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey, The House on Mermaid Point, Ocean Beach, and Ten Beach Road. The mother of two grown sons, she has left the suburbs of Atlanta for an in-town high-rise, that is eerily similar to the fictional high-rise she created in her 2013 release, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey.

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Summer Al Fresco Family Memories with Angie’s Tables

Angie’s Tables is the first-ever in the U.S., tablescapes delivered in a Keepsake Box. This Cheerful Daffodil tablescape is the perfect way to bring summer sunshine into your lifestyle after the long, dreary winter. Perfect for hosting al fresco parties or entertaining graduation celebrations. Delivered with four place settings including a tablecloth, table runner, charger plates, napkins and ring holders, votive candles and holders. Pictured: Cheerful Daffodil $119

https://www.angiestables.com/collections/products/products/cheerful-daffodil

Founder and creator Angie Kantor is a former Broadway director, choreographer and dancer who lives in New York and Florida. She also creates custom tablescapes for weddings, events and charity fundraisers. For more, please contact Sharyl Sutton sharyl.sutton@orcapr.com

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Pizza for Mom – Tastes of Chicago

In honor of Mother’s Day, we wanted to reach out and celebrate the holiday with some delicious Lou Malnati’s deep dish and Chicago-style food gifts! We know Mother’s Day may look different this year, but you can still show loved ones that you care. Treat yourself or someone you love to a sweet box of treats shipped nationwide from Tastes of Chicago. Whether you want to indulge yourself, share great Chicago foods with your friends and family, or if you miss the flavors of home – we have everything you crave!

Tastes of Chicago offers hometown favorites from iconic Chicago brands including: Carol’s Gourmet Cookies, Eli’s Cheesecake, Garrett Popcorn Shops, Long Grove Confectionery, Manny’s Deli, Portillo’s, Vienna Beef, Wildfire, and many more! We offer gift packages perfect for any occasion, gift cards, apparel and other merchandise from Lou Malnati’s.

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iLive Wireless Tailgate Speaker

Sports are back, which means tailgate parties are starting up again and this year, they’ll be more exciting than ever. After a year of being deprived of tournaments, games and the thrill of scoring at the last second, fans are itching to get back to sporting events. Hanging out with friends, grilling food and seeing who can drink the most beers before the doors open up are staples of any good tailgate party. But not having a speaker to blast your tunes and keep up with the crowd’s hype is a major buzzkill.

The iLive Wireless Tailgate Speaker is a must-have for any sports fanatic. The Bluetooth capable device can jam out tunes hours before and after the game without needing to be charged, has a carrying handle to bring the party with you wherever you go, provides easy volume control to drown out your competitor’s party and the wireless range can reach up to 60 feet to keep your music blasting even when your phone isn’t near it. And with the ability to change the LED light colors, even your speaker can rep your favorite team’s colors.

For more information click here

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The iPhone Photography Book by Scott Kelby

You already know that the iPhone can take great photos, but if you’re ready to take your iPhone photos to the next level, here are five tips from Scott Kelby’s new book, The iPhone Photography Book, that can make a big difference (and help you get the best shots you’ve ever taken with your iPhone).

1. Super-Quick Lighting Fix
Getting your tone right—where your photo isn’t too dark or too bright—is a big thing when it comes to getting great photos with your iPhone, and it’s actually really easy to do (once you know the secret). After you tap once on the screen (right on what you want to be in focus), you can make the image brighter by holding your finger on the screen and dragging it up to make it brighter, or it down to make it darker. This makes a bigger difference than you’d think.
Lighting Fix

2. Making Your Photo Fill the Screen
Have you noticed that when you take a photo with the iPhone’s camera it doesn’t capture the entire screen? It leaves blank areas at the top and bottom (if you’re shooting vertically) or on the left and right (if you’re shooting horizontally). If you want an image that fills the entire screen, there’s a trick for that: switch your Camera app to shoot in Video mode. You’ll notice two things: (1) the video fills the entire screen, and (2) once you hit the red record button, there’s now a little white shutter button that appears onscreen. When you tap that white shutter button, it takes a still photo, and like the video, it fills the entire screen. When you shoot video, by default, it zooms in closer than the regular camera does, so your still image will be zoomed in a bit closer as well. But, it’s better than just cropping a still image because cropping your still image would make it smaller, and it wouldn’t fill the screen like this video trick does, so it’s definitely worth trying. I know a number of iPhone photography pros who only shoot in Video mode for that very reason.
Fill Screen

3. An Easier Way to Take Your Shot
Besides just tapping the round shutter button onscreen, there is another way, perhaps even a handier way, in many cases, to take a photo. This very popular way is to use the actual volume up or volume down buttons on the outside of your iPhone. When you have the Camera app open, and you press either the volume up or down button (as seen here), it takes a picture. It’s super-convenient, and my guess is once you try it, you’ll fall in love with doing it like this.

Easier Way

Woman hand holding the black new smartphone with blank screen isolated white background. hands using phone clipping path

4. Killer Tip to Keep from Missing the Moment
If you see something cool that you want to take a photo of, and time is of the essence (you need to get to your camera quickly), don’t unlock your iPhone and launch the Camera app and all that (you’ll have already missed the shot!). Instead, just pick up your iPhone and swipe left on the screen. That takes you directly to the Camera app and you’re ready to shoot. You don’t have to unlock the iPhone or anything—it’s just ready to go. This is ideal for times when your friend leaves their locked iPhone on the table at a restaurant and goes to the restroom for a moment. I’m not suggesting you pick up their iPhone, swipe to the left, and start taking random pictures and selfies before placing it right back into the same spot where they left it, so the next time they go to their Photos app they see all these odd pictures, and then finally a selfie of you, but…I’ve heard of people who have done things like this. Not me, mind you. Other people. I’m sure.
Missing Moment

5. Want a Better Portrait? Cut Off Their Head. Well…at Least Part of It
Cutting off the tops of people’s heads in portraits is a super-popular look these days, as long as you cut off enough so that it doesn’t look like a mistake. It should look like you did it intentionally, otherwise you’ll hear people say, “Oh, that’s such a nice shot of him. Too bad you cut off the top of his head.” It has to be at least 1/3 of their hair or head to where it looks so intentional that nobody questions it. This brings your subject closer to the person viewing the shot, it makes the shot more intimate, and it gives it a more professional look (you’ll see this “cropping off the top of the head” look in ads on the web, in magazines, in product photography— it’s pretty much everywhere).
Cut Off

Excerpted from The iPhone Photography Book by Scott Kelby (Rocky Nook). Copyright © 2021 Scott Kelby. Reprinted with permission from Rocky Nook. San Rafael, CA. All rights reserved.

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Save at Tea Drunk Annual Pre-Sale

The time for tea lovers is here! Once a year, Tea Drunk, known for its finest and most prized tea direct from China, holds an amazing pre-sale for tea lovers alike.

During Tea Drunk’s annual pre-sale, which runs now through May 15, you’re able to get their exceptional top-tier new teas at the lowest price possible. Savings are up to 60% on some of the world’s most top-shelf teas! It’s truly the best sale offered all year. Not only do you get the best prices ($100 for 12 samples of tea), you’re guaranteed to be the first to get this year’s tea delivered straight to your door right around September or October due to the pandemic. Bonus: if you are a member of Tea Drunk’s exclusive Educational Tea Club, you are eligible for an additional discount of for the pre-sale event. If not, you can find additional information on how to become a member here!

As you might already be aware founder Shunan Teng ventures deep into tea country to commission the teas that Tea Drunk is known for. Although Shunan’s normal tea trip to China was affected by the current pandemic, she has maintained close communication with her farmers and tea makers who are the forces behind the amazing teas.
Shunan Teng is also the educator for the TED-Ed lesson – The History of Tea, and has collaborated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to execute a temporary Chinese tea house in the museum. She is an avid educator on tea and has spoken on the subject matter at many institutions including Yale University, World Tea Expo, and Stony Brook University.

About Tea Drunk: Based and founded in NYC in 2013, Tea Drunk is on a mission to break all stereotypes in tea and open access in the West to the highest level of Chinese teas. Tea Drunk is the destination for those seeking exceptional tea and tea knowledge. At $369/ ounce, these are not any typical “fine teas”. These are historical teas cared by heritage farmers for generations. Shunan Teng- the founder of Tea Drunk, travels to historic tea mountains in China every year to harvest and make tea alongside the heritage farmers.

For more information click here

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Katie Holmes & Jessica Alba Love Their HARMIN Bags

Since December, Katie Holmes has been spotted all over NYC wearing an oversized khaki + white carryall from HARMIN (Sidekick, $1195), which she received as a gift from her boyfriend, Emilio Vitolo Jr. This piece is the perfect transitional bag going into the warmer seasons.

Jessica Alba, a huge supporter of brands with good causes, recently posted a different style from the HARMIN collection — Curbside, $1495, a lightweight weekender duffle in khaki + black — on her Instagram story, saying, “every purchase benefits @bisousforleo.”

Bisous for Leo is an ancillary arm of the INADcure Foundation, supported by everyone from Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Gal Gadot to Sebastian Stan and Sissy Spacek. A HARMIN purchase makes an automatic donation.

For more information click here

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“42” Limited Edition T-Shirt – Leovici

Honoring Jackie Robinson: Leovici x JP Crawford

On April 15, 1947, baseball and the larger world we live in changed forever. When Jackie Robinson suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers for the first time on that famed Tuesday, he went hitless through all three of his at bats. However, in the grand context of his story and legacy, it was unarguably the most successful day in the history of sport. Breaking the color barrier in baseball, Robinson’s actions penetrated deep into American society, had a profound impact on the elimination of the segregation practices black Americans faced daily, and provided fuel to the civil rights movement that promised to change the moral fabric of the United States forever. This momentous impact, which Robinson cultivated through his resolve, actions, and performance, still continues to have an unmeasurable positive effect on and off of the baseball field.

As a company that prides itself on innovation, excellence, and its promise to disrupt “the way things are”, Robinson is not just one of our inspirations, but also one of our greatest heroes. His performance on the field speaks for itself. Throughout his career Robinson maintained a batting average of .311, hit 137 home runs, batted in 734 runs, and was crowned a six-time all-star, two-time stolen base leader, MLB rookie of the year, and world series champion. However, as deafening as those career statistics may seem, the ballad of Robinson’s impact off the field will always sing louder.

The statistics and awards are impressive, but it is undoubtedly Robinson’s steadfastness, commitment, and desire for change that we and generations past, present, and future will continue to remember and cherish the most. The home runs, the batting average, and the world series title made Robinson a hall of fame baseball player, but his impact on and off the field made him a hero.

Reflecting on Robinson and his legacy has inspired us to partner with another baseball legend in the making. JP Crawford currently plays shortstop for the Seattle Mariners. While we are sure you already know a thing or two about his resume, such as his recent designation as the 2020 Gold Glove recipient, you might not know how greatly Crawford has been impacted on and off the field by the life and actions of Robinson. When asked about this impact, Crawford, a descendant of interracial parents started off by stating, “without him I probably wouldn’t have been born, he broke barriers that were larger than baseball.” Later when talking about Robinson, Crawford also stated that he was deeply affected by Robinson’s courage. “ I know I couldn’t do what he did. He got so much hate [thrown] towards him for no reason… to want to play baseball. That man changed the course of history… BY HIMSELF! He took on what so many people can’t even bear to take on a piece of.”

To honor this courage and one of our joint heroes, Leovici and JP Crawford are proud to present that this year, on Jackie Robinson Day (April 15th), we will be dropping a limited edition Leovici x JP Crawford “42” hoodie. The garment features a black and white portrait of Robinson on our bone colored hoodie. While we know that no garment, no matter how greatly it is manufactured, can live up to the legacy of Robinson, we are deeply honored that the Leovici name will be paired with one of its greatest inspirations.

The impact Robinson has had on Crawford continues to be reflected in his words, admiration, and love for the man who forever changed baseball and life as we know it. This impact can be seen on and off the field through Crawford’s performance and conduct. The standard set by Robinson has led us to the decision to donate profits from the “42” hoodie to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

The limited edition Leovici x JP Crawford “42” hoodie will only be available for a limited time. So, if you want to snag one you will want to act quickly. Whether you purchase one of our hoodies or not, both we and JP Crawford hope that you will join us on April 15th to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day and honor one of the greatest heroes the world has ever known.

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Eggstra Special Easter Chocolate – Sugar Plum

Easter is just around the corner which means your excuse for “eggstra” special goodies is about to be satisfied. Whether you’re putting together a basket for a special loved one or want to share a collection of premium chocolates with friends and co-workers, we suggest stocking up on these springtime goodies now!

Hop on over to Sugar Plum and take a peek at these must-have Easter basket gifts!

Sugar Plum Gourmet Easter Egg Hunt Set – Sugar Plum has put together an imaginative set of handsomely decorative metal Easter eggs that have been engineered from the ground-up to turn any Easter egg hunt from “blah” to “oooh-la-la!” faster than that Easter Bunny can come on hoppin’ down the bunny trail. Featuring a reusable plastic egg carton and handsomely festive metal eggs that can be refilled over and over again, the Gourmet Easter Egg Hunt Set promises a fashionably fun (and tasty!) time with those you care about most year after year! Retails: $34.95.

Easter Milk Chocolate-Covered Sandwich Cookies Assortment – Featuring 12 world-class chocolate-dunked sandwich cookies all dressed up in the bright and festive Sunday best and presented in an adorable Easter egg container, Sugar Plum’s Easter Milk Chocolate-Covered Sandwich Cookies Assortment is a perfect treat for every family’s resident chocoholics! Retails: $24.95.

Signature Easter Egg Truffle Assortment – For those that would prefer a little more of a classic chocolate treat this Easter, look no further than Sugar Plum’s Signature Easter Egg Truffle Assortment! This assortment features 12 pieces of Sugar Plum’s incredible handcrafted foil-wrapped milk chocolate ganache truffles in a beautifully laid out in a festive egg-shaped box that’ll be sure to get everyone in the mood for a fun Easter egg hunt! Retails: $24.95.

Carrot Cake Chocolate Bar 4 Pack – Whoever the mad lad was that decided to bake carrots into a cake has nothing on the folks here who turned this cake into a chocolate bar. Smooth white chocolate serves as the foundation for all the spices and flavors of a moist and delicious carrot cake. It’s so good you won’t even mind that we used the word moist. Retails: $30.00.

Dark Chocolate Half-Pound Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny – Check out this treat hoppin’ down the bunny trail! Sugar Plum’s Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny features 8oz of our gourmet chocolate, carefully crafted into a gorgeous & festive Easter bunny by Sugar Plum’s expert chocolate artisans. This decadent dark chocolate bunny comes wrapped in a cello bag, which is tied off with a festive ribbon that is sure to put you in the Easter spirit! Retails: $17.00.

White Chocolate Half-Pound Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny – Check out this treat hoppin’ down the bunny trail! Sugar Plum’s Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny features 8oz of our gourmet chocolate, carefully crafted into a gorgeous & festive Easter bunny by Sugar Plum’s expert chocolate artisans. This smooth & creamy white chocolate bunny comes wrapped in a cello bag, which is tied off with a festive ribbon that is sure to put you in the Easter spirit! Retails: $17.00.

Milk Chocolate Half-Pound Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny – Check out this treat hoppin’ down the bunny trail! Sugar Plum’s Premium Chocolate Easter Bunny features 8oz of our gourmet chocolate, carefully crafted into a gorgeous & festive Easter bunny by Sugar Plum’s expert chocolate artisans. This luscious milk chocolate bunny come wrapped in a cello bag, which is tied off with a festive ribbon that is sure to put you in the Easter spirit! Retails: $17.00.

All of Sugar Plum’s delicious gourmet treats are lovingly hand crafted and made from their bakery and kitchen in Kingston, PA, by mother and son team Fran and Neil Edley. As they say, food is the ingredient that binds us together. These decadent, mouthwatering confections make for truly special gifts this Easter.

For more information click here

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