The 2016 Philadelphia Flower Show bursts into flower tomorrow. This year’s theme is “Explore America” and celebrates the beauty and diversity of our country’s National Parks. Now is the time to get your tickets!
Today, Friday, March 4, is the final day to enjoy the discounted price on tickets purchased online. Here’s how you can
Buy individual tickets online today!
Tickets will be available online and at the box office March 5-13 at full freight.
Midway through February, Veganuary is so over. But it is not a distant memory.
People ask me: What did I learn from a month without refined sugar, alcohol and meat of any kind? Do I feel different? And what did I eat and drink when it was all over?
The last question is the easiest. I went to Eighth and Union Kitchen in Wilmington with a few friends, intent on ordering wine and some sort of non-plant-based protein.
Before the main course, we ordered appetizers to share, among them a plate of spicy cauliflower. Along with a few florets of cauliflower, I picked up a small, dense cube with my chopsticks, hoping for a nibble of cheese.
But instead of a dairy product stolen from an exploited cow, I tucked into tofu, the much-loathed bean curd that was my culinary nemesis throughout Veganuary. Yes, TOFU. (TO, pronounced “TOW,” and FU as in “F-U, lady! Take that, you carnivore!”)
My first foray into flesh and booze was a nicely grilled salmon served with a glass of pinot noir. Make that two glasses.
The sole physical difference I perceived after a month-long cleanse was that I lost four pounds. Weight loss was not one of my goals, but I’m OK with it. Since then I’ve lost two more pounds, likely because I gave up sweets for Lent. (Although it could be argued that I should have gotten 31 days’ credit for Veganuary.)
I also saved money. Tofu costs about $1.50 a pound, about one-third the price of fish and one-quarter the cost of beef. My wine and spirits tab was zero. And since I am firmly off the wagon, I’ve enjoyed several rounds on friends who had waited an entire month to buy me a drink.
So what did I get out of giving up things I enjoy for a month? I truly believe that challenges are good for us. That setting a goal and sticking to it is an exercise in character building. It’s also helped me to recalibrate. I’m more thoughtful about what I eat and drink. I’m consuming far less sugar, meat only sparingly and a little less wine.
Veganuary reminds me of the great wit Dorothy Parker’s observation on writing: “I hate writing. I love having written.”
I hate Veganuary. I love having Veganuary-ed.
Red wine and romance: a time-honored pairing.
So, on Valentine’s Day, let us consider the aptly named Loveblock Pinot Noir 2012, which hails from a small vineyard in New Zealand, aptly named Someone’s Darling. It’s imported by Terlato Wines, who forwarded me a bottle to taste.
I often think of Pinot Noir in a classic pairing, pinot and pork. But it’s also a successful match with salmon, especially served on a velvety bed of mashed potatoes.
With Loveblock, expect lots of fruit: berries and cherries, tempered with herbal tones of sage and white pepper. It’s exceptionally food friendly, with a sleek, silken texture–and more ardor than found in many pinots. The tannic finish shows this wine is a serious suitor.
Expect to pay about $30 for Loveblock Pinot Noir. If you haven’t already, consider making pinots a staple in your own personal wine bar.
As a lifelong Philadelphia fan, I don’t care who wins Super Bowl 50. Panthers? Broncos? What’s an Eagles fan to do?
Drink beer and chow down, that’s what a good sport does on Game Day. I’m heading to a Super Bowl party, where the hosts have planned a yummy menu that includes Colorado Pork Green Chile soup, Carolina Sweet Potato and Bacon soup and second half Mile High Brownies.
We are hoping for Philly cheesesteaks and soft pretzels next year.
It’s not too late to put together your own Game Day repast. Here’s a quick-and-easy recipe from the folks at Real Simple, Spinach and Carmelized Onion Dip. Serve it with crunchy broccoli, cauliflower and radishes.
Here’s the recipe:
Tanger Outlets is showing its affection for shoppers with a Share The Love promotion, which will reward shoppers in February.
So, how do they love thee? Let us count the ways:
1.) $2,500 SHOPPING SPREE: Shoppers enter on-site at Tanger Shopper Services from Feb. 8-21. (Shopper Services are located at Tanger Surfside next to Van Heusen, and at Tanger Seaside next to Zumiez.) A random winner will be chosen from among all Tanger properties nationwide.
2.) RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS: Shoppers on the sidewalks and inside stores at Tanger Rehoboth will be surprised by a prize patrol. Patrollers hand out $100 each day in gift cards, and pick up the tab for purchases of lucky shoppers.
3.) FACEBOOK REWARDS: Tanger Rehoboth’s Facebook page will randomly reward customers with gift cards who express why they love shopping at Tanger Outlets.
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.
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.
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?
Truth 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!
There are 31 days in January.
Veganuary, a month with no refined sugar, alcohol or meat of any kind, feels a lot longer.
In these final hours, I’m taking orders. Food orders. Drink orders. What should I eat and what should I drink when all the edibles and beverages I have denied myself are back on the table?
The arrival of February brings more than the opportunity to fall off the wagon and into a vat of beef, bourbon and brownies. I will reflect on what I’ve learned during the month of Veganuary and report back to you. What did I miss the most? What does my body tell me? What does my soul have to say?
Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to breaking the fast.
In the highly competitive marketplace, Clinique is bringing its A game with Clinique Smart, a line of custom treatments designed for women who multitask and want to simplify their skin care regime with products that multitask, too.
I received a review sample of Clinique Smart Night Custom-Repair Moisturizer, which went on the market this month (MSRP: $57). The company says the cream addresses lines and wrinkles, dehydration and uneven skin tone at night, when our skin is in a state of rest. If the formula does what it’s supposed to do, we awaken with firmer, brighter skin and softened lines.
Personally, I like the idea of something that works while I am sleeping. Would that this moisturizer could run the vacuum and do a load of laundry.
I also have been serious about good skin care for at least 15 years and have internalized that it’s a ’round-the-clock commitment.
Smart Night contains such ingredients as hyaluronic acid, which plumps up skin by retaining moisture, and peptides, which stimulate collagen production.
But does it work? For now, I will sleep on it. Literally. I’ll give Smart Night a trial run–and get back to you with the results.
I think I know why people can’t stop eating potato chips.
Sure, salt and fat contribute to the attraction. But the big lure is the crunch.
Crunchies is a simple fruit snack that deliveries the crunch we typically associate with savory nibbles. In addition to giving fruit a novel texture, freeze-drying locks in the nutritional value while extending shelf life.
The folks from Crunchies sent me a big box of snacks to sample. The treats arrived at an auspicious time, as I’ve sworn off refined sugar and other goodies for the month of January.
Crunchies contain no added sugar and no artificial flavors or coloring. They are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher- and-halal certified. A serving is only 40 calories. In short, Crunchies offend no one.
Strawberry quickly emerged as my favorite variety. Unlike strawberries that are picked long before they ripen, Crunchies are intensely flavorful, with the sweetness of just-plucked natural fruit. I eat them straight out of the bag. They liven up a bowl of oatmeal, too.
The line also includes mango, pineapple, blueberry, raspberry, grape, cinnamon apple, strawberry banana and mixed fruit. You can find Crunchies in stores nationwide for an SRP of $4.99 – 5.99 for resealable pouches and $1.25 for single-serve bags.