Category Archives: Go

Happy Chinese New Year from P.F. Chang

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pf-chang-s P.F. Chang’s is celebrating Chinese New Year throughout February, spreading good fortune by treating five patrons to free meals for a year, plus raising money for  Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Making wishes and giving to children are two Chinese New Year traditions. Diners can participate in the monthlong celebration and help kids through social media.

  • In restaurants: Order an item off the P.F. Chang’s Chinese New Year menu, which features symbolically lucky options. The restaurant will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America each time a guest orders from the limited-time menu, which includes handmade-from-scratch Butternut Squash Dumplings, Sichuan Chili Garlic Chicken, Hong Kong Style Sea Bass, Long Life Noodles & Prawns and the Monkey Mule, a unique twist on the traditional Moscow Mule featuring Monkey Shoulder whisky and house-made ginger beer,.
  • On social media: Share a Chinese New Year wish on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #PFChangsWish to trigger a $1 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. P.F. Chang’s will randomly select and grant customer wishes throughout the month.

 

The wishing tree tradition began in Hong Kong centuries ago, when villagers traveled for miles during Chinese New Year to visit the sacred wishing trees and hang New Year’s wishes, written on red tags, among the branches. On Feb. 8, P.F. Chang’s will adorn trees near its restaurants with traditional red envelopes that contain P.F. Chang’s Preferred loyalty points, redeemable for free entrees and other menu items. Five lucky winners will receive an envelope with enough points to dine free P.F. Chang’s for a year.

February: The gratitude month

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Midway through Veganuary, my month without refined sugar, alcohol or meat of any kind, people started asking me a thought-provoking question: What are you going to do in February?

Card-Hard-The-Subtle-Art-of-Writing-a-Thank-You-Note-MainPhotoTruth to tell, I looked at the January experiment as a one-and-done proposition.

But the reality is that going public with my personal initiative created an expectation that the next month would bring a new challenge. Veganuary had become part of my schtick. Traffic on my blog tripled whenever I updated my progress.

A friend suggested running a mile every day, the pledge for 2016 espoused by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Or how about committing to 10,000 steps a day?

I like both those ideas. But I ultimately decided to take the advice of my friend and neighbor Anne. Every day in February, I will write a thank you note expressing my gratitude to an individual who has made a difference in my life.

No email, no texting. It has to be on paper. And it must be written in my own hand. As a stationery nerd, I see the value in this. And a fountain pen. I am all in.

I’ve been practicing mindful gratitude since 2008, starting each day with three words: “Thank you, Lord.” In the past year, I’ve established a new habit, adding three specific things I am grateful for that day.

This regimen was inspired by my friend Susie, who began her trio of thanks when she was able to retire early, thanks to a sweet package from her former employer.

Coming up with three timely items for the gratitude list is harder than it seems. On most days, Susie says she checks one off with a standard thank you: “I am so glad I am not married to Chuck any more.”

Because I overthink, my list often takes longer than it should. Are my thoughts germane, reflecting the past 24 hours? Sure, no one can hear me; but am I speaking plainly? And did I miss anything?

During Veganuary, a standard refrain was expressing thanks for staying on course.

Today, the first day I am free to indulge in the full spectrum of food and drink, the editor of a glossy wines and spirits magazine contacts me. Can I take on an assignment on tequila cocktails?

Yes, I can.

A coincidence? We know better.

And so I begin February. Even with leap year, I already am wishing there were more than 29 days in the month. Because there are so many people to thank.

I have delivered my first handwritten note, to my neighbor Anne. Thanks for a great idea!

 

Shoppers snowed out

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snowman1bWinter Storm Jonas has arrived, throwing a cold, white blanket on retail.

Christiana, Concord and Dover malls all were buttoned up tight at 6 p.m., along with movie theaters, big box stores and most strip shopping centers. Concord Mall already has announced it will be closed on Saturday, when accumulation is expected to reach 24 inches of snow in northern New Castle County.

In Sussex County, where only 4-8 inches of snow are forecast, Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth and other retailers are planning to open at noon tomorrow, weather permitting.

So don’t venture out unless you have a dire need–and have confirmed that your destination is open for business. And don’t even think about calling out for pizza.

Enjoy your family. Read a book. Organize your closet. And if you must shop, put on your fuzzy slippers and browse on your laptop.

 

One less voice for the consumer

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As a journalist, Mitch Lipka was an objective voice for consumers. He did important work, exposing fraud and guiding readers on making educated decisions and using their resources wisely.

IMG_0095He died earlier this week of cancer. He was 53 and writing to the very end. Here is his final column, published in the Boston Globe:

Just because someone tells you something’s a great deal doesn’t mean it is.

Commercials boast of laptops for less than $100 and big-screen TVs for about $50. And, by the way, shipping is free. This is where consumers should be saying, “What’s the catch?” instead of, “What a deal.”

Skepticism is vital, but, unfortunately, it is suspended far too often. That’s the backdrop for so-called penny auctions. These online auctions make it seem as though a great deal is around every corner. But what is the catch?

Penny auctions offer the chance to buy electronics, appliances, and other items at big discounts — up to 95 percent, some sites promise. They are unlike traditional auctions on sites such as eBay.com, where low bidders simply don’t get the product they are seeking. In penny auctions, unsuccessful bidders lose what they offered.

This is done by making consumers buy bid packs, which are what appear to be small chunks of money, usually starting around $25. Consumers use the bid packs to compete with other buyers — bidding up an item one penny at a time.

Even though the numbers appear small, making it feel safe to jump in, bidders will find those pennies can add up fast. Consumer advocates who tested the sites, in search of deals for such items as iPads, have found themselves losers time and again, as someone else overbid the value of the product.

In addition to leaving empty-handed — and with lighter wallets — users are dangled the booby prize: the option to buy the product at a price typically higher than what you would pay if you had shopped around.

Legal? Typically, yes, as the sites make no secret of their business model. But consumer advocacy groups argue against using penny auction sites, noting the similarity to gambling — including that the odds are stacked in favor of the house.

Don’t rely on self-serving representations made by a company or be seduced by testimonials they toss around. Weigh the risks against the possible rewards.

And remember, the best deals most often can be found through research and an understanding of the market.

 

Walmart ditches Express and lagging stores

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There’s a big bag of woe in retail as the third major merchant in little more than a week announces store closings.

Walmart says it will close 269 stores in 2016, as the world’s largest tries to improve its finances.

imagesMost of the underperformers are sited within 10 miles of another Walmart. Of the stores on the chopping block, 154 locations are in the United States; two-thirds of those are the smaller “Walmart Express” stores, a pilot program that failed to get off the ground.

Only 12 U.S. Walmart Supercenters will close, along with four Sam’s Club stores. Most of the foreign closings will be in Brazil.

Of the 16,000 employees impacted, 10,000 work in U.S. stores. The company plans to place those workers in nearby Walmarts. Employees who don’t find a place will get 60 days’ severance and training in job hunting.

Walmart stock swooned 30 percent last year in tough times for retailers. Macy’s and Kmart also recently announced significant store closings.

Philly’s first Home and Garden Show

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I like the Property Brothers on HGTV because they are hunky and can fix things.

You can meet them in all their manly-manliness at the new Philadelphia Home and Garden Show, now running at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks.

20150955f7dfc76c2bc.jpegThe brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott, will appear on Jan. 16, hosting a question-and-answer session–who does your hair? how many flannel shirts do you own?–and a photo opp with fans.

Interested in going green? Exhibits include a full-scale, energy-efficient smart home constructed by Rudloff Custom Builders and powered by XFINITY.

Visitors also can buy crafts, stroll through six feature gardens, and attend DIY demos and such interactive challenges as decorating a ho-hum front door.

The show runs through Sunday. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 online. Children under 12 are admitted free.

 

 

 

Cocktail of the Hour: The OBX Old-Fashioned

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IMG_0554

Joanne Moffett has the two characteristics of a great hostess: a warm heart and a generous pour.

She shows her admirable skills as a mixologist, whipping up Old-Fashioneds for a group of friends sharing a beach house on the Outer Banks.

IMG_0553A classic cocktail, the Old-Fashioned was invented in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1886. My parents sipped them in the 1960s. My mother’s stepfather shared his Old-Fashioned recipe with LBJ.

They are a little sweet for my taste, but I am willing to give them another try. (And likely will again after I complete my month without meat, refined sugar or alcohol on Jan. 31.)

Jo starts with this basic recipe, then puts her own special twist on the drink:

Ingredients

3 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 orange slice

1/2 oz. simple syrup (make your own or buy ready-made)

2 1/2 oz. bourbon

Optional splash of club soda

Maraschino cherry

IMG_0555Mrs. Moffett makes a posh Old-Fashioned. She uses Woodford Reserve, a small batch bourbon. And she doesn’t make do with perching an orange slice on the rim of the glass. She places rounds of fragrant orange peel in the bottom of the glass and muddles it to release the essential oils.

“This is a very important step,” she advises. “We want our Old-Fashioned to be fruity.”

IMG_0562Now it’s time to start pouring. Forget the jigger.

“I just eyeball everything,” she says.

“I’ll watch,” I say. “Very carefully.”

Into the glass go our ingredients, with lots of ice. We can’t decide if we want our Old-Fashioneds with or without the optional splash of club soda. So we decide to try both. After all, we are on vacation!

IMG_0560I take a sip. I like this Old-Fashioned. The oil from the orange peel adds a layer of freshness and complexity. And the premium bourbon also is a treat.

After meticulously researching both cocktails, I pronounce that I prefer my Old-Fashioned with a splash of soda. But if there isn’t any soda handy, I could cheerfully do without.

A few extra special ingredients–salt air, the rolling surf and good company–make this an especially  memorable cocktail. Cheers, Jo.

Hit the jackpot with a fabulous get-away

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 The jackpot for Wednesday’s Powerball Lottery has reached a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion, with millions of dreamers contemplating how they would spend the money, should they beat the 1-in-292 million odds of winning.

Personally, I am hoping for an altruistic winner, someone who would spread that lovely cash around doing good in this world. Still, I hope the new billionaire also would indulge in a treat.

Unknown-1How about a great vacation? Here are five pricey possibilities:

Private New Zealand Adventure – Folks who don’t have to show up for work can spend 44 days in New Zealand. This custom itinerary includes white-water rafting down the Rangitaiki River; hiking tours through national parks; wine tastings at historic wineries in the South Island’s Cromwell region; helicopter flights to remote locations; fly fishing at top-tier lodges; tours of the glowworm-lined Waitomo Caves; and sailing through the Bay of Islands. After a month-plus in New Zealand, head to the 50th State with nine days in Hawaii, split between Maui’s Montage Kapalua Bay and Honolulu’s renowned Halekulani hotel. The trip starts at $83,000 per couple.

Icebreaker North PoleNorth Pole via Nuclear Icebreaker – Sail for the legendary North Pole on a 14-day Arctic voyage aboard the nuclear icebreaker, 50 Years of Victory. Chill out with a view of the moving icebreaker from a helicopter. Feel the crunch of thick pack ice under your boots, and observe bears, birds, seals and walruses. The tour starts at $26,995 per person.

Unknown-3 Tour The Silk Road by Private Train – Retrace one of the most important trading routes of ancient civilization on a 22-day private train tour in the footsteps of  Alexander the Great and Marco Polo. For centuries, merchants and adventurers journeyed to and from China on ancient routes stretching 4,000 miles through some of the most challenging landscapes in the world trading silk, spices and perfumes. Get on board for fares starting at $24,595 per person. (If you don’t hit the lottery, shorter hops are available for a lot less.)

Unknown-2Russian Space Tour – Explore the Russian Space Program at Star City, Russia’s premier  training facility, where wanna-be cosmonauts can participate in Zero-Gravity Flight or Space Walk Training in the Orlan Space Suit Lab. At the remote Russian launch facility on the Kazakh steppe, you can make friends with top international space officials, space veterans and the family of the next space crew. The experience also includes the launch of the Soyuz on its way to the International Space Station. Prices lift off at $14,495 per person.

Unknown-4Ultimate Africa Safari – Africa is a continent of wonders, including Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world; Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World; Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera; Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world; and Cape Town, an international city with award-winning vineyards a grape toss away. This 29-day private tour explores the finest of Southern Africa, including luxurious hotels and primo tent camps. Safaris start at $27,175 per person.

Poetry in Beauty

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Home to the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art outside the United Kingdom, the Delaware Art Museum  is a magnet for aficionados of the movement, celebrated for its luminous palette, saturated colors and romantic depictions of nobility, nature and religion.

Marie_Spartali_1868Fair maidens are a recurring theme, yet only a handful of women artists painted their way into the inner circle of the movement.

Visitors to the museum can get a rare, in-depth look at the work of Marie Spartali Stillman, eldest daughter of the Greek consul-general to London and an insider in the Victorian art world. She gained entrance to the Pre-Raphaelite circle as a model for Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the artist and poet, and then as a painter in her own right.

Poetry in Beauty, the first retrospective of Spartali Stillman’s art,  showcases  approximately 50 works by the artist, roughly half the paintings she created in a career that spanned 60 years.

1935-75-e1446044241349-150x150Her style reflects her British Pre-Raphaelite training as well as the influence of Renaissance art, derived from years living and working in Italy with her husband, a prominent journalist, and their three children.

Her paintings also are inspired by Shakespeare, gardens and country life, and many focus on women. The museum borrowed the paintings from public and private collections in the United States, Britain, and Canada, many shown publicly for the first time since Spartali Stillman died in 1927 at age 83. The exhibit runs through Jan. 31.

A farmers market, 365 days a year

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I like to shop at farmers markets that sprout in a designated place one special day a week, then disappear until the next time the following week.

But often I missed my chance because the market’s schedule did not coincide with my own.

This afternoon I shopped at the 7 Day Farmers Market that opened in December in a former Pathmark on Lancaster Pike in Wilmington.

IMG_0722There’s no website and no promotions besides the big banner on the store. Still, shoppers are flocking to the store, which is open from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday.

What you will find is a wide variety of fresh produce, ethnic foods, and dried herbs in bulk,  in addition to the traditional canned goods and frozen foods shoppers would have bought at the old Pathmark.

A number of former Pathmark employees found new jobs at the market and offer friendly, helpful service. Witness Scott, the enterprising and pleasant staffer who rounded up various options in quinoa from the organic and grains sections for me to compare. The  cashier invited me to take a free bag of clementines with me as I exited the store.

I enjoyed the variety of fresh produce, popping a container of hard-to-find Matari mushrooms into the cart. There are mounds of cactus leaves, bushels of beets and such mysterious vegetables as gray squash.

Prices on fruits and veggies trend lower than at traditional grocers. I paid 49 cents a pound for sweet potatoes, compared to $1.99 a pound at Acme. That said, some prices for non-perishables are higher. Costco wins hands down for the least expensive quinoa around.