Send Chanukah Gelt

Over 2,000 years ago, a king named Antiochus took over the land where the Jewish people lived and tried to stop them from practicing their religion. A small group called the Maccabees, led by Judah Maccabee, fought back to protect their freedom. Even though they were outnumbered, they won and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem.

When they cleaned the Temple, they found only one small jar of oil to light the menorah. It should have lasted for one day, but it burned for eight days. This was considered a miracle and is the reason Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights.

Today people celebrate by lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, and enjoying foods cooked in oil.

But does Hanukah gelt have to be milk chocolate? Why not dark?

What is your favorite gelt? Send some chocolate to those less fortunate. This is the time of year to spread some holiday cheer!

Browse and Shop for HANUKAH GELT on Amazon [affiliate link]

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If you want to #BoycottGoya, here are options for Spanish Spice and Seasonings

Goya Foods is facing a swift backlash after its CEO praised President Donald Trump at White House event. Vote for who you want, shop where you want.  I'm just putting options out there for shopping. Links to Amazon are via my Amazon Associate links. 

Many were angered at the praise considering Trump’s history of derogatory comments and harsh policies toward Hispanics, most notably, the administration’s policy of separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border.  

Goya has a longstanding history of donating millions of pounds of food in times of disaster and desperate need through the company’s global program Goya Gives.  Goya recently donated thousands of pounds of food to families in the Bronx and Harlem who have been affected by COVID-19. 

#BoycottGoya, #GoyaFoods, #GoyaGives, #Goyaway 

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Chocolate cake or ice cream for breakfast?

Study shows eating chocolate cake or ice cream for breakfast may help improve mental performance. The reports are going around social media boasting chocolate cake is a good breakfast and ice cream is good for mental performance.

Yoshihiko Koga, a professor at Tokyo's Kyorin University, claims that eating ice-cold food immediately after waking up shocks the brain into an active state, increasing alertness and mental capacity. People who ate ice cream first thing experienced an increase in high-frequency Alpha waves, leading to boosted alertness and reduced mental irritation, The Daily Telegraph reported.

According to a recent study from Syracuse University, chocolate may help brain activity and cognition. The researchers had participants perform specific tests and in a long study showed this is a result, “Chocolate intake was significantly and positively associated with the Global Composite, Visual-Spatial Memory and Organization, Working Memory, Scanning and Tracking, the Similarities test (abstract reasoning), and the MMSE.”

Call me a health nut, or risk adverse but I'm not taking any chances. Chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream for me, just to be safe :)

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Uber Eats adds Katz's pastrami and four iconic pizza spots

NYC! This month, Uber Eats added mouthwatering pastrami and smoked meats from the legendary Katz's Delicatessen as well as four iconic pizza spots. So... sicilian or thin crust? And get $5 off your first order on #Uber Eats with my code: eats-sa456ue
ubr.to/EatsGiveGet

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Give the coolest gift basket filled with international treats

Want to stand out from the other fruitcakes?  Send one of these cool international gift baskets filled with treats you won't normally find in the snack aisle.

Browse the various assortments from around the globe

Enjoy all the holidays—whatever you celebrate or however you say it!

Crăciun fericit · Wesołych świąt Bożego Narodzenia · God Jul · Veselé Vánoce · Buon Natale · Feliz Natal · Vrolijk kerstfeest · Joyeux Noël · Frohe Weinachten · Feliz Navidad · Happy Hanukkah · Happy Kwanzaa · Boxing Day · Ōmisoka

Japanese


Korean


Mexican


Eastern Europe


Poland

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The Mayo Conspiracy

The Mayo Conspiracy. Watch for Free with an Amazon Prime membership.

When an intrepid journalist meets up with a whistle-blower from the Mayonnaise cartel, he travels thru a seedy condimental underworld, uncovering the havoc wreaked by Big Mayo on our food supply, political regimes, and health care. Who knew a sandwich spread could bring America to its knees!

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Discount Codes and Offers on Travel, Transportation and Rooms

I've used the services listed here for a while and thought I'd share some of their offers.

New customers get a few bucks off, sometimes even free. And in exchange for referring you to them, they credit my account with a few bucks too.

 EAT

SEAMLESS - gives you $10 off your first-time order of $15 or more. Click through this link to take
advantage of the Seamless offer http://fbuy.me/jTiOl.

Seamless is an online service to order food for delivery or takeout. Seamless is a part of the GrubHub Inc. portfolio of brands. *Terms & Conditions

 RIDE

VIA - I've been using Via as an alternative to taking a regular cab. Rides are always a low fare. If you sign up with my code, steve3d9e, we'll both get $10 of free Via Credit.
You can download the app here: http://bit.ly/2bj6zXY

Via Transportation, Inc. is a transportation network company and real-time ridesharing company based in New York City, with offices in Tel Aviv, Chicago, and Washington D.C., and operations in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The company's mobile app facilitates shared travel for a flat rate. In order to expedite service, passengers are picked up and dropped off on the corner of a block nearest to their pickup and drop-off locations, and not the exact addresses. Terms of use

 SLEEP

AIRBNB
As a traveler / guest, when you sign up for Airbnb with my link, you'll get $40 off your first trip. When you book a trip of $75 or more, I'll get $20 in travel credit, too. https://abnb.me/e/lnE85O48eP

Want to become an Airbnb HOST? Sign up to host on Airbnb and use the extra income to fund your passions. Here’s my invitation link:
https://abnb.me/e/a50ZRD28eP

A‌i‌r‌b‌n‌b‌ is a company that operates an online marketplace and hospitality service for people to lease or rent short-term lodging including holiday cottages, apartments, homestays, hostel beds, or hotel rooms. The company does not own any real estate or conduct tours; it is a broker that receives percentage service fees in conjunction with each booking.

Airbnb Referral Program Terms and Conditions.

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Amazon warehouse deals

Heard of Amazon Warehouse?

At the Amazon Warehouse, you can get deep discounts on used and open box merchandise http://amzn.to/2y9K6wW. And in true Amazon style, they have a zillion products. Everything from Wireless Karaoke Microphone to Xenon HID Headlight bulbs to a Fossil Q Wander Gen 2 Smartwatch.

Yes, Amazon sells these open-box and refurbished items with the same return policy as their normal products.

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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Demand unsweetened beverages

It shouldn't be so hard to get unsweetened drinks in a town hyper-focused on healthy foods, yet I am continually challenged at restaurants, delis and even grocery stores. Yeah supermarkets have sweet, sweeter and southern iced tea aka diabetic coma tea. Even the milk is getting a sugar coating, try buying lil milk boxes-no more 3 pack of 2% milk-stores stock vanilla, strawberry or chocolate sweetened milk.

No incentives for store management, little or no public awareness to cut out the sugar and no easy healthier options are offered.

Lets send a message we want the sugar cut. Pressure business to offer unsweetened tea, milk & juices. This does not mean diet soda—artificial sweeteners, another topic for another time

Get the board of health involved. Tweet to grocery store corporate twitter accounts, loop in the diabetes foundation. If consumers show a demand for it, business will sell it to us.

It shouldn't be so hard to get unsweetened drinks

RELATED:
Health Officials Urge F.D.A. to Limit Sweeteners in Sodas
Sugar: A Cautionary Tale
Drink Less Sugar kit in ADA Catalog
Step away from that soda: Sugary drinks raise cancer risk for women
Sweet Tooth Gone Bad: Why 22 Teaspoons Of Sugar Per Day Is Risky

Sugary drinks increase risks of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and gout

• A 20-year study found that people who increased their sugary drink consumption by one 12-ounce serving per day gained an extra pound every 4 years. One study found that for each additional 12-ounce soda children consumed each day, the odds of becoming obese increased by 60% during 1½ years of follow-up.
• People who consume sugary drinks regularly—1 to 2 cans/day have a 26% greater type 2 diabetes risk.
• Those who averaged one can of a sugary beverage/day had a 20% higher risk of having a heart attack.
• Those who consumed a can a day of sugary drink had a 75% higher risk of gout.(26)

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Deep Fried Turkey - Safety - How to Safely Deep Fry Turkey on Thanksgiving

Everybody loves deep-fried turkey. But every year there are people who risk life and property trying to fry a bird. The fear of burning your house down is real.

If you've always wanted to try to fry, and you've decided that this is the year you'll take the plunge of deep-fried turkey, please don't burn your house down. Follow some basic safety tips to avoid injuries.

Tips to having a safe and happy Thanksgiving

If you decide to deep fry a turkey, follow these tips to prevent fires and injuries:

• Place the turkey fryer outdoors, on a level surface, in an open area away from homes, fences, sheds, over hangs and other structures.
• Never place the fryer on a wooden deck or porch or in a garage or carport.
• Leave at least 2 feet between the fryer and the propane tank.
• Keep the fryer in full view at all times.
• Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
• Check the oil temperature often. If you see smoke coming from the oil, turn off the gas right away.
• Completely thaw and dry the turkey before frying. Adding a partially frozen or wet turkey to the pot makes the oil splatter a lot, causing a fire or explosion hazard.
• Cover bare skin before adding or removing food from the fryer.
• Raise and lower food slowly to avoid splattering or spilling oil.
• Use the right amount of oil. To find out how much oil to use, read the fryer's instructions, or:
• Place the turkey in the pot.
• Fill with water until the turkey is covered by an inch of water.
• Remove the turkey and pat dry.
• Mark the water level in the pot.
• Dump the water, dry the pot, and fill oil to the level marked.

If the fryer catches fire, call 911 right away. Do not try to put out a grease or oil fire with water.

Shop on Amazon for Turkey Fryers

Turkey Fryer Fire Facts

• Cooking fires peak on Thanksgiving Day.
• Between 1998 and 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission had 112 reports of fires or burns related to turkey fryers.
• Most fires from turkey fryers occur while the oil is being heated, before the turkey is added.
• Contact with hot oil can cause serious burns.

Reprinted from firesafety.gov

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Strange foods found on the net: Food in electronics, usb devices, and other odd places

I saw a blog about hamburger obsession, 10 ways to make your burger fantasies come true. It got me thinking, how many people buy food gadgets so I did a quick scan of the net to see what I could find. Due to time and space limitations, my findings are not too extensive, but I'm sure you can find a lot more strange food swag, if you check.

Hamburger
I've found usb devices, CD Holders, mouse pads, Hamburgers YoYos, and a Wimpy doll (with Hamburger)





Hot Dog
a full body costume, a wall clock, and a hot dog wedding groom.




Pizza
a pizza flash drive, party lights, a belt buckle, and a singing pizza elmo toy.



French Fries
Not too many, maybe everyone is calorie counting?




Kiwi fruit
an ipod case, some sort of toy, and drawer pull knobs.



I'm sure with time and persistence, this list could go on forever :) what surprised me most is not too many cool Frency Fry oddities showed in my search. Give it a try.

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Restaurant reviews in New York City and Northern NJ

Yelp is an easy way to find, review and talk about what's great (and not great) in a specific city or neighborhood. It has been a pretty reliable resource when trying I'm looking for a restaurant in NYC and does a good job of isolating a neighborhood and type of food. Check it out at yelp.com. And check out a few of my yelp restaurant reviews here.

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Big Apple Barbeque Block Party Madison Square Park (free!) with music too

The 6th Annual Big Apple Barbeque Block Party

This looks like a pretty tasty way to spend a day, or a weekend... BBQ and Mardi Gras Indians! It's almost like 2nd and Dryades is coming to New York. Almost.

June 7 and 8, 2008 in Madison Square Park
New York, NY
Noon to 6pm
http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

Admission is free!
MAP of Madison Square Park

Barbecue is $8 per plate, sides and desserts $4 per plate and drinks range $2-$6

Feed your belly with variations of bbq from some delicous bbq joints

New York: Blue Smoke; Hill Country; Dinosaur Bar-B-Que; Rack & Soul

Connecticut: Wilson’s Barbeque

California: Mr. Cecil’s

Texas: Baker’s Ribs; The Salt Lick BBQ

Virginia: Checkered Pig

Alabama: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

Illinois: 17th Street Bar & Grill

North Carolina: The Pit

Mississippi: Ubon’s “Champion’s Choice”

South Carolina: Black Jack BBQ

Feed your head with music**

Saturday, June 7

1:00PM – 2:15PM THE DEFIBULATORS

Combining strains of rockabilly, bluegrass, and classic country music with the quirky camaraderie of a vaudevillian jug band, The Defibulators are one of the most engaging live acts to have emerged from Brooklyn’s thriving roots music scene. Watch for the Defibulators’ first full-length album coming this summer!

2:45PM – 4:00PM THE SWEET DIVINES

Don’t call it nostalgia: The Sweet Divines are doing soul music the only way they know how—the old-school way. This four-woman vocal powerhouse and their hard-hitting Divine Soul Rhythm Band have been lighting up nightclub stages all over town with their nouveau-retro brand of girl-group soul.

4:30PM – 5:45PM THE WILD MAGNOLIAS

“Big Chief” Bo Dollis and his Wild Magnolias have been among New Orleans’ top-ranked Mardi Gras Indian tribes for four decades, playing pure New Orleans street funk. Their five career albums include the oft-sampled classic “They Call Us Wild” (1975) and “Life Is a Carnival” (1999).

Sunday, June 8

1:00PM – 2:15PM ALEX BATTLES & THE WHISKEY REBELLION

Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Alex Battles leads The Whiskey Rebellion, a country band strongly influenced by the music of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, John Prine and Tom T. Hall. “Battles can wrap audiences around his knotty fingers.” (Nate Schweber, The Village Voice)

2:45PM – 4:00PM ELI “PAPER BOY” REED & THE TRUE LOVES

Roll With You, the new Q Division album from Boston-based soul band Eli “Paperboy” Reed & the True Loves, is a potent all-original set of sweaty, up-tempo numbers and aching, lovelorn ballads. “He combines the sob of Al Green with the beef of Otis Redding, and boasts a band, The True Loves.” (MOJO magazine)

4:30PM – 5:45PM THE SADIES

The Toronto quartet known as the Sadies combine the timeless sounds of Sixties/Seventies rock and country music with masterful songwriting and casually stunning harmonies from front men Dallas and Travis Good. On their latest album, “New Seasons” (Yep Roc), the Sadies “build fresh, bracing psychedelia.” (David Fricke, Rolling Stone

** Artists and Performance Times can change. Double Check with Venue

Get official updates from http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

The Big Apple BBQ supports Madison Square Park Conservancy, responsible for keeping historic Madison Square Park a bright, beautiful and active public park. The Conservancy’s dedication and consistent, loving attention keeps Madison Square Park a vibrant haven in the city for all to enjoy.

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