Archive for category: Friday Afternoon

When the air turns crisp and the lights start twinkling around town, it’s a sign that the holidays are a comin’. That means rich soups, yummy apps, and mouth-watering pies and other desserts. And for beer lovers, that includes the long-awaited return of Christmas Ale. Spicy, malty, and just a little bit magical, these winter brews have become as much a holiday tradition as gingerbread or mistletoe. While spicy beverages have been around for centuries, there’s something special about Christmas Ale, especially from our neighbors and friends at Great Lakes Brewery here in beautiful Cleveland. But where did they come from, and why do they hold such a special place in our hearts (and pint glasses)? Let’s pour (get it?) into the history, the modern trends, and some top picks for your own Christmas cheer. Sip and Enjoy!

Read more

One of the most fun, a bit quirky, but oh so good snacks out there are – pickles. Crispy, crunchy, tangy, salty, dilly, yummy, and sometimes sweet, whole, spears, or chips, pickles are one of those foods most of us love… (you either can’t get enough of them… or you politely slide them off your sandwich dish onto someone else’s plate). Now of course I have multiple “favorites” Bread and Butter Pickles – both regular and zesty which my grandson calls Grandpa’s SPICY pickles and those good old fashioned barrel pickles!  But love them or not, pickles have been around for thousands of years, and today, November 14th, we can celebrate them in all their briny glory on National Pickle Day. Add a spear to a dog, and its heaven (plus tangy pickled relish). Small delights on a relish tray – I’m in. And getting one of those big guys out of a pickle barrel is wonderful. And how they get those pickles into a jar amazes me (talk about a PIA (pain in the @%$) Job!). To learn more about pickles, and NPDay  I went “crunching” online to find some fun facts and trivia I think you’ll enjoy. And be sure, when you get home today, reach in the back of the fridge, open a jar of your favorites, and snack away. Enjoy! Read more

Today marks one of my favorite celebrations of the year – Halloween. I have so many great memories as a kid – picking out my costumes, decorating the house, running the neighborhood with my siblings and buddies, making sure the neighbors 10 doors down could hear us yelling “Trick or Treat”, sorting candy on the living room floor, and enjoying the treats for weeks to come (all-time favorite candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups,  Snickers, 100 Grand Bar and of course Peanut M & M’s!!) Halloween may look like candy, costumes, decorations and carved pumpkins, but I found out its roots stretch back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (SOW-in). I always love digging for new information!!!! This was no lighthearted holiday: while it marked the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, the night had deeper meanings – when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. Over time, Samhain’s symbols and superstitions evolved through Christian influence, folklore, and immigration – shaping the traditions and imagery we know today. I decided to dig in and really learn about the day, and its heritage (thanks, Library of Congress!!) Here’s just some of what I found out. ENJOY! 

Read more

As a devout “foodie” (which just means I pretty much love all food), today marks a special day on my calendar – National Pasta Day – simply celebrating the sheer joy of pasta. (whoever thought of this is a genius!) Though it’s widely observed on this day, the exact origin of this “holiday” is unclear (no formal proclamation exists…let’s start one!). We’ll have to wait some days for World Pasta Day (Oct 25th), globally recognized and supported by pasta manufacturers and food organizations around the world. I did some digging and found interesting tidbits about the day, pasta history, and fun facts. As I was composing this blog post, I tried to determine if I had a “favorite” pasta – is it traditional spaghetti smothered with Jackie’s sauce and meatballs and sausage, or is it my love of lasagna, those gooey golden layers of sauce, cheese, beef, and sausage! – or a kid’s favorite of simple macaroni and cheese. Orzo is fun, those pipe thingies are too (any shape), especially when the cheese and sauce sneak inside and hold the goodness. Speaking of inside, how about ravioli, with the different fillings – sausage, beef, chorizo, cheese,  … ok, I’ll stop. Pasta la vista!

Read more

Isn’t it groovy baby, how certain slang terms define periods of time?  The other night, Jackie and I were watching an oldie movie, and the women were called “dames” and the men were “on the lam from the coppers” and needed to “lay low from the heat”. Our language has always been a reflection of its time, sort of a snapshot of culture, trends, music, and the attitudes of each generation. As a barely!! Baby boomers (born 1946–1964), growing up in one of the most transformative periods in American history, we enjoyed some of the coolest phrases of the ’60s and ’70s (“sock it to me baby”, flower power,” and “keep on truckin’”).  Many of these slang phrases were incorporated into TV shows of the era. But slang didn’t start there, and it certainly didn’t end, as the younger kids continue to develop a whole language of their own, along with acronyms they use on social media and texting. Here’s a list of classics, and just some of today’s lingo. And as I like to say, “Alright fam, that’s the skinny – stay snatched, keep your rizz strong, avoid the mid vibes, and remember: if it’s giving groovy energy, no cap, you’re living your main character era – Word!” FYI, if I did use any of this slang, my children would be less than happy with me!   Enjoy, and thanks to Google and Jennifer Freeman, Senior Editor of Word Smarts and Word Daily, for the inspiration and descriptions. Chill out and Enjoy! Read more