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Start the New Year off on a healthy note! Join us for a night of fun and celebration that ends with a hot chocolate toast to the healthy New Year! This run course is an experience of a lifetime. Runners wind through the park at midnight and experience the Tanglewood Festival of Lights in a whole new way, on foot! This is by far the most scenic run course in Christmas history. It is a Christmas wonderland of lights and action. Don't miss it!
The race starts at the stroke of midnight. We will celebrate the New Year with a Live Feed to New York's Time Square to count down the New Year and start the race!
For more information and registration, please visit the event website.
All information provided by event organizers.
The abovementioned event and organization are not affiliated with Forsyth County in any way. It is a separate and independent organization, which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. This event is a contractual agreement between the organization and Forsyth County.

subset: commoncrawl


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What are units in spring rate section of FAQ?
BMW Neue Klasse - a birth of a Sports Sedan
Unveiling of the Neue Klasse Unveiled in 1961, BMW 1500 sedan was a revolutionary concept at the outset of the '60s. No tail fins or chrome fountains. Instead, what you got was understated and elegant, in a modern sense, exciting to drive as nearly any sports car, and yet still comfortable for four. The elegant little sedan was an instant sensation. In the 1500, BMW not only found the long-term solution to its dire business straits but, more importantly, created an entirely new History of the BMW 2002 and the 02 Series
In 1966, BMW was practically unknown in the US unless you were a touring motorcycle enthusiast or had seen an Isetta given away on a quiz show. BMW's sales in the US that year were just 1253 cars. Then BMW 1600-2 came to America's shores, tripling US sales to 4564 the following year, boosted by favorable articles in the Buff Books. Car and Driver called it "the best $2500 sedan anywhere." Road & Track's road test was equally enthusiastic. Then, BMW took a cue from American manufacturers, The BMW 2002 Production Run
BMW 02 series are like the original Volkswagen Beetles in one way (besides both being German classic cars)—throughout their long production, they all essentially look alike—at least to the uninitiated: small, boxy, rear-wheel drive, two-door sedan. Aficionados know better. Not only were there three other body styles—none, unfortunately, exported to the US—but there were some significant visual and mechanical changes over their eleven-year production run. I've extracted t


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Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the memos is their intimation that medical professionals conducted a form of research on the detainees, clearly without their consent. "In order to best inform future medical judgments and recommendations, it is important that every application of the waterboard be thoroughly documented," one memo reads. The documentation included not only how long the procedure lasted, how much water was used and how it was poured, but also "if the naso- or oropharynx was filled, what sort of volume was expelled....and how the subject looked between each treatment." Special instructions were also issued with regard to documenting experience with sleep deprivation, and "regular reporting on medical and psychological experiences with the use of these techniques on detainees" was required.
The memos describe the techniques in highly precise and clinical detail, befitting a medical textbook. During water boarding, in which a physician and psychologist were to be present at all times, "the detainee is monitored to ensure that he does not develop respiratory distress. If the detainee is not breathing freely after the cloth is removed from his face, he is immediately moved to a vertical position in order to clear the water from his mouth, nose and nasopharynx." Side effects including vomiting, aspiration and throat spasm that could cut off breathing were each addressed: "In the event of such spasms...if necessary, the intervening physician would perform a tracheotomy."
While physician assistants could be present when most "enhanced" techniques were applied, "use of the waterboard requires the presence of a physician," one memo said, quoting the OMS Guidelines.
Joseph Mengele would be so proud!
Yes, I know, that's three posts in one week on the torture scandal. But it cannot be emphasized enough, in my opinion. We live in a country where a sitting U.S. President was impeached in 1998 because he lied about getting a blow job from a lowly intern. I think we'd all agree that what we're dealing with now just might be something a little more worthy of such intense public scorn. What we have now is a situation where an executive branch unilaterally defied international law and the US Constitution by designing and codifying a program, yes a program, of torture, kept it secret, justified it with bad faith legal arguments from hacks like Jay Bybee, and then lied about it when the harrowing details began to leak out ("the United States does not torture!"). And even now Dick Cheney has the gall to go on Fox News with Sean Hannity and sneer in his condescending way about how President Obama has put us in danger by rescinding the illegal torture policies he now unabashedly claims "prevented any more terrorist attacks on American soil since 2001".
But that's not the point, you see. Leaving aside all teleologic arguments for the justification of torture (and if there are documented cases of the effectiveness of torture in this program, I also want to know to what degree torture could be expected to be effective, i.e. was it 80% effective, 20%, 0.2%, and did we have to waterboard detainees 100 times or 10 before they coughed up the goods, it all needs to be exposed in all its gory detail because if you're going to implicate me as an American in this heinous, pre-meditated torture policy, I deserve to know what I'm buying into) leaving aside all that (those arguments are weak anyway), the point of the matter is that what Bush/Cheney did was I-L-L-E-G-A-L. It's very simple. We live according to a rule of law in this country. No matter who you are, breaking the law has consequences. Bill Clinton wasn't impeached because he cheated on his wife or some other such personal moralistic conundrum. He was impeached because he lied in a deposition about his relations with Lewinsky. Think about that. And, based on Obama's initial response, it seems the perpetrators of easily the most appalling American scandal in at least thirty years will go unpunished. We can't let that happen. We cannot afford to sweep this under the rug. Our collective national conscience is at stake.


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Political journalist and author Jack Germond died Wednesday at his home in West Virginia. He was 85.
The longtime columnist died just as he'd finished writing a political novel titled A Small Story for Page Three, reports USA Today.
"He went peacefully and quickly after just completing this novel, a tale he had pondered while writing columns, campaign books, a memoir and covering our politics and politicians," his wife, Alice, said in a note to his colleagues, according to The Associated Press.
Germond had been a reporter since 1953, when he began at a local Missouri paper. He later rose to become political editor at the Washington Star, collaborated on a regular column with the journalist Jules Witcover for the Baltimore Sun, wrote books — including the autobiographical reminiscences Fat Man in a Middle Seat and Fat Man Fed Up — and gained a following with TV political commentary.
But Germond became best known after joining PBS' The McLaughlin Group, where he was a regular panelist for 15 years. He later ended the association with a pugnacious and short fax to the show's host, saying "Bye-bye," according to the AP.
He retired from writing columns in January 2001, telling NPR's Morning Edition at the time that he was just "sick" of politics, especially 2000 presidential candidates Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore. "It's the way the campaigns have become totally contrived programmed events," he said. "You don't get to know the candidates very well — the reporting on events is determined by the campaigns, rather than by any news standard."
Germond, along with Witcover and former AP political writer Walter Mears, was one of the characters featured in Timothy Crouse's The Boys on the Bus, a look at the life of political reporters during the 1972 presidential campaign, AP notes.
As for a life in journalism, Germond lamented the choices of young reporters who "want to start at the top" and cover national figures before learning the trade working for smaller papers. "Nobody wants to start at the Joseph City, Mo., Post-Review, which is where I started," he told NPR. "Covering city hall in a small city is a great story compared to covering Congress, which is a bore."
As Reuters reports, Germond noted that despite his extensive knowledge of modern politics, his appearance put off potential employers:
"While his writings and commentary were staples of Washington journalism, Germond said his looks and mannerisms sometimes worked against him.
"He said he once did not get a job because the executives saw 'a fat bald guy who looked unkempt even in a freshly pressed suit and a Brooks Brothers shirt, who played poker and the horses rather than golf, who didn't give dinner parties except for friends, and who sometimes drank too much. I was ... a cultural misfit.' "
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Child Finds Marijuana Pipe in His Burger King Kids Meal Instead of Toy
Some toys in kids meals may be actually more appropriate for bigger kids.
Much bigger kids.
Earlier this week, a family in Dundee, Michigan found a marijuana pipe inside a Kids Meal they purchased for their four-year-old son at Burger King.
Authorities say an employee put the pipe in the box to keep it hidden while he was on the clock and he had no intention of giving it away. (And, besides, if anyone would want to find a pot pipe in their Burger King order, it would probably be someone listening to Phish around two in the morning.)
Police arrested the employee, along with two friends, who were charged with drug possession after they called the worker while cops interrogated the employee.
Moral of the story? Meat isn't the only thing that can be burned at BK.


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New lexicon, expertise emerge from 'Snowmageddon'
There was much to be said at City Hall Tuesday night at the City Council's marathon meeting that included the release of the fiscal year 2011 budget and a report on the city's overall response to "Snowmageddon."
The difficulty was actually saying it.
A comical string of misspeaking and newly adopted snow language exhibited city officials' fatigue and a newly acquired vocabulary stemming from toiling 12-hour shifts during the emergencies earlier this month.
City Manager Jim Hartmann, who was tasked with overseeing the city's emergency response team along with Fire Chief Adam Thiel, meant to commend the city's workforce for their efforts, but "condemned" them by mistake, not realizing his error until Mayor Bill Euille corrected him and the crowd at City Hall erupted in laughter.
"We're all a little tired," Hartmann said. "Everyone needs a long nap."
Hartmann, who once managed snow-prone Eagle County, Colo., said he was proud of the city's response, which benefitted from the learning curve of the December snowstorm. City officials and staff have also learned new terms, as evidenced by some of them Tuesday night:
Driving snowly: To practice cautious operation of a motor vehicle during a major snow event.
Snow hurricane: The only way to label and conceptualize the blizzard of 2010 and its impact on Alexandria, according to Thiel.
Bombardier: The overgrown snow clearing machines of which the city purchased two, specifically for the storm, from Buffalo and North Carolina.
Snowy day fund: Formerly the rainy day fund, an alternate name for the city's contingent reserve fund that paid and still pays for the storm.
While Euille said he would not grade the city's response (December's storm reaction received a B-minus from the mayor), he said the city's response was exceptional for the amount of snow the city received.
No easy road to securing federal transportation funding
Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) attended Tuesday's meeting to update the City Council on how he is representing Alexandria across the river on the Hill but funding city projects will prove tough.
While he said he would not seek federal money for a ramp to connect I-395 to the new Department of Defense structure at Mark Center (see page 1), the congressman has requested funding for the city's other transportation projects like a Potomac Yard transit-way and Metro station, as well as a bicycle-integration initiative, among others.
But while Moran sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, securing funds is predicated on the Surface Transportation Bill that has yet to be authorized due to lack of support for its principle funding a gas tax.
"I personally support a gas tax but we don't have the votes in the House and definitely don't have the votes in the senate," Moran said. "Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas have just as much political influence as states like California and New York and they're not going to support a gas tax. So we're stuck without sufficient revenue."
Moran said much of Congress sees the bill as a sturdy job-producer and that he will try to secure funding on any level he can.


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Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm fairly even tempered and it takes a lot to move me from cold to hot. That's not to say I don't have a pet peeve or two, and, as it happened, a couple of them surfaced today. One is the accumulation of unfinished cereal sitting in boxes that are only fractionally full. That happens a lot around here because each member of my family has a favorite all their own. That favorite is generally unfinished at the end of a visit, so, to my great shame, you'll occasionally find Cocoa Puffs or Fruit Loops floating in my cereal bowl. Generally, the assortment stales before I can work my way through it and I'm left feeling guilty because I have to throw it away. That happened this morning. Another peeve surfaced this evening while the table was being set for dinner. I think we all have a vision of what we consider to be gracious living. Mine does not include a collection of jars and bottles sitting in the center of the dinner table. In my dream world, salads are tossed in the kitchen and graciously served from a bowl at the table. The Silver Fox doesn't share my vision. So, it happens that an assortment of condiments and dressings got to claim space at my table tonight. Among them was the Vidalia onion dressing I used to make peanut sauce earlier in the week. One of the advantages to making your own condiments and dressing is that you can control the amount you make by sizing the recipe for them up or down. I normally make half the recipe because that's sufficient for our needs. While I make this to use in peanut sauce, it's also wonderful on bitter greens and fresh fruit, so I have plenty of opportunities to use it and it will not go to waste. The dressing is embarrassingly easy to make, but I do have one serious caution. The Vidalia is a sweet onion. While other sweet onions can be used to make this, don't make the mistake of thinking all white onions are sweet. Ask the produce manager if you are not sure. If you make this with anything other than sweet onions it will be dreadful and you'll speak of me using adjectives I'd prefer you not. REMEMBER SWEET ONIONS. Here's the recipe.
Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Group Recipes
1/2 large vidalia onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons white vinegar
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt or salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper or pepper to taste
1) Slice 1/2 inch off both ends of onion. Pierce onion skin in several places with a sharp knife. Place onion in microwave-proof bowl. Add a tablespoon of water and microwave, covered, on HIGH power until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2) When cooled, peel and place in food processor. Puree until smooth. Add oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, celery seed, salt and pepper and process until smooth. Chill. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.
You also might enjoy these recipes:
Caesar Salad Dressing - Shih's Cooking
Basic Vinaigrette - A Couple Cooks
Thousand Island Dressing - Cookistry
Buttermilk Ranch Dip - In Flora's Kitchen
Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing - Stylish Cuisine
Orange Balsamic Dressing - Vegacious
Feta Cheese Dill Dressing - SpiceOpolis
Homemade Catalina Dressing - For the Love of Food
Lime and Wasabi Dressing - Entertaining Made Easy
Ranch Dressing - The Brunette Foodie
Poppy Seed Dressing - Being Suzy Homemaker
Recipe for Green Goddess Salad Dressing - Kalyn's Kitchen
Pink Grapefruit Salad Dressing - One Perfect Bite
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing - One Perfect Bite
Blue Cheese Dip - One Perfect Bite
70 comments :
- Momo said...
what a tasty dressing and salad!
- March 27, 2011 at 2:23 AM
This looks tasty! And, I don't like a multitude of bottles and jars in the middle of my dining room table either. =D
- March 27, 2011 at 2:26 AM
- Katerina said...
I make my own salad dressings as well so I am keeping this Mary! I will sure try it!
- March 27, 2011 at 2:36 AM
- Prema said...
yummy dressing and a healthy salad...
- March 27, 2011 at 2:39 AM
One of my first jobs out of college was with a company based out of Vidalia, GA and each May we would be rewarded with a huge bag of new crop Vidalia onions. Thanks so much for this recipe!
- March 27, 2011 at 2:59 AM
- Alessandra said...
It is true, if you make your own condiments you can control the amounts of sugar, salt, fat etc. for a healthier diet :-).
Have a good Sunday
Alessandra - March 27, 2011 at 3:15 AM
- Jean said...
this looks tasty! bet it could be even more than just a salad dressing :)
- March 27, 2011 at 4:06 AM
- Linda Starr said...
What a great photograph; I like the slightly pinkish hue of the dressing; and mason jars are a good idea to store stuff in.
- March 27, 2011 at 4:39 AM
- Carol at Serendipity said...
I agree about the bottles on the table! Ruins the whole ambiance...
Dressing sounds wonderful. I try to make my condiments as well.
Have a great week.
Carol - March 27, 2011 at 5:43 AM
- Lynn said...
This sounds like a wonderful dressing Mary-thanks!
- March 27, 2011 at 6:28 AM
- Amy @ A Little Nosh said...
I love the bottled version of this dressing that you buy at the grocery store, so I'm REALLY looking forward to making this version. I'd prefer to make it myself, also.
- March 27, 2011 at 7:00 AM
- Kayte said...
Thanks for the recipe, Mary. I promise only to use Vidalia onions and praise your name. I'm with you on the bottles/jars/boxes, etc. on the dining table...guys have respectfully tried to follow the lead but when I am gone, I hear tell that chaos reigns as far as this goes. Absolute chaos! lol
- March 27, 2011 at 7:23 AM
- Ben said...
Mary, I really like this on multiple levels. It's a good-looking dressing to begin with, seems easy to make, and inspirational in that dressings in general seem to be an area we don't see explored very often. Thanks for posting this!
http://kissthecook-ben.blogspot.com/ - March 27, 2011 at 7:32 AM
- StephenC said...
I'm thinking Vidalias might be coming into season now? I'll be watching for them. This dressing is unlike anything I've had before.
- March 27, 2011 at 7:54 AM
- Martha said...
Looks good. We always make our own salad dressing and we always dress it in the kitchen as well. I'm not much for bottles and jars in the middle of my dining room table either. I've been known to even decant ketchup when we have company!
This sound slike a good dressing and I'm eagerly awaiting vidalia onion season! - March 27, 2011 at 7:57 AM
- Deana Sidney said...
I've never made an union dressing before. Gorgeous dressing idea. Thanks for the recipe.
- March 27, 2011 at 8:38 AM
- Yvonne @ StoneGable said...
YOu spoke my inner feelings about condiment bottles on the table! Isn't it funny that somehting like that would make us a little crazy?
But then I looked at your beautiful pictures and had second thoughts. I LOVE the containers you chose for your dressing... they might look very nice on my table.
Thanks for the recipe. I mostly use homemade dressings but have never made Vidaila. I can't wait to try it!
And a BIG thank you for adding all the other dressings as well!
Yvonne - March 27, 2011 at 8:58 AM
- Rhubarb and Venison said...
my in-laws buy sam's club sweet vidalia onion dressing by the quart - i'll have to try to convert them to this instead :)
- March 27, 2011 at 9:10 AM
I agree! Love ambience. The dressing recipe looks great.
I'm going to peruse your recipe archives for some inspiration now. - March 27, 2011 at 9:19 AM
- Rita said...
I have been looking for this recipe for a long time; thank you so much for sharing.looks really nice.
Rita - March 27, 2011 at 9:30 AM
- PeggyR said...
That sounds very good! It has been a long time since I've made my own salad dressing.
- March 27, 2011 at 9:31 AM
Thank you SO much for this recipe! This week a friend & I were talking about the huge bottles of Vidalia onion dressing they used to have at Sam's. Since I owned a restaurant at the time there was no problem with spoilage. But now a smaller quantity is preferable. Can't wait to try this one.
Martha in KS - March 27, 2011 at 9:31 AM
- Molly said...
Oh my goodness, this sounds like one of those dressings that is going to make me build entire meals around the flavor profile of the zesty vinegar coupled with the sweet onion. Are there any lettuces that work better than others with this dressing?
- March 27, 2011 at 9:55 AM
- Sense of Home Kitchen said...
Making my own dressings and vinaigrettes is a goal of mine and this looks like a tasty recipe to start with, you have a beautiful blog. Daily recipes would really be a challenge, I am impressed, and you can be sure that I will be back.
-Brenda - March 27, 2011 at 10:13 AM
- Claudia said...
I've always loved Viadlia dressing and (gasp) have only had it from a jar - will be fun to make one. Loce the sweet tang.
- March 27, 2011 at 10:43 AM
- kitchen flavours said...
I have never heard of Sweet Vidalia Onion! This is really interesting and I'm ever so curious! But I don't think that I can get it over here. Would love to try this someday, maybe could replace with other varieties of sweet onions. Have a lovely week.
- March 27, 2011 at 10:46 AM
- Khadija El Mary said...
I often make entree dressings with whatever I have in hands and they taste delicious. I'm bookmarking your recipe, I will give it a try for sure.
Have a great day Mary! - March 27, 2011 at 11:14 AM
- Kris said...
Oh my that looks so wonderful!!!!
- March 27, 2011 at 11:18 AM
- Jenn @ Youknow...that Blog? said...
Thanks! I've been waiting for you to post this - I can't find the vidalia onion dressing at the store and I want to make the peanut chicken you posted last week.
Much appreciated - sounds wonderful.
I agree with your peeve of having ugly commercial jars and bottles on the table. Ruins the entire ambiance of the setting. My family couldn't care less of course, but I do!
Have a wonderful day! - March 27, 2011 at 11:40 AM
- Beloved Green said...
Fantastic! I love homemade dressings in any form, and this looks delightful.
- March 27, 2011 at 11:42 AM
- Pondside said...
I've only ever bought Vidalia Onion dressing, but I like to make my own dressings, so will give this a try. I also detest half-empty cereal boxes and cartons of restaurant 'leftovers'.
- March 27, 2011 at 11:50 AM
- brokeintrovert said...
Thanks for this recipe...I love all your recipes! I cannot wait to try this one!
- March 27, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Since we're close to Earth Day, it's worth mentioning that every batch of homemade salad dressing is one more bottle of store-bought that's not going into the landfill. Cheers!
- March 27, 2011 at 11:58 AM
As an Army brat and career officer myself, I've lived in about half of the US. And I swear, the most expensive Vidalias are in Georgia. Cheaper to drive to Florida or South Carolina and buy them! No idea why!
- March 27, 2011 at 12:00 PM
- Unknown said...
I completely empathize...our dining table is a catching place for all things and I've mostly given up. This dressing sounds amazing. I haven't seen any vidalia's since I've moved to the southwest, but I need to keep my eye out for them.
- March 27, 2011 at 12:09 PM
- Big Dude said...
The bottled version was my in-laws favorite, buy I didn't care for it or 99% of the others from a bottle. I wish they were still around so I could make this version for them, but it sounds so good, I may try it for myself.
- March 27, 2011 at 1:07 PM
- Kalyn Denny said...
Oh this does sound tasty! I look forward to Vidalia onions every year. Thanks for mentioning my salad dressing too, always appreciated.
- March 27, 2011 at 1:08 PM
- Kuki... said...
Hi Mary...thanks so much for stopping by "Along the way". I enjoyed visiting your blog, and let me just say, "YUM!!!". I look forward to visiting often.
- March 27, 2011 at 1:25 PM
- Carol said...
Dressing looks fantastic, what great flavor!
- March 27, 2011 at 1:33 PM
- Cooking Creation said...
I'm super excited to try this out! Thank you for posting this recipe :)
- March 27, 2011 at 2:06 PM
- Elaine said...
I share those pet peeves, Mary. I have a few cereal boxes in my cupboard right now with just a small amount of cereal left in them. I also like to have lovely vessels to serve condiments in, but those canning jars are just perfect to mix a dressing in that it seems okay to use it as the serving container, don't you think? I am looking forward to trying your dressing recipe as I really love Vidalia onions.
- March 27, 2011 at 2:37 PM
- Ginny Hartzler said...
Congradulations, what an honor!!! I only know what an amuse bouche is from watching Top Chef! I knew this knowledge would come in handy some day. They posted lots of good variety from your blog, too!! I left a comment there, how exciting!! You really deserve it, too. But now, look out! This could get you hundreds of new followers!!
- March 27, 2011 at 4:03 PM
- Lyndas recipe box said...
Thankyou for this recipe Mary....I love Vidalia dressing, but have never made my own -now I can.
You are right to caution against using any other onions in this dressing as vidalias have a much sweeter flavor. We love them!
Have a womderful day. - March 27, 2011 at 4:10 PM
- Simply Life said...
oh that dressing sounds perfect!
- March 27, 2011 at 4:22 PM
- Adam said...
Congrats on the feature! :). And I love the idea of a fresh dressing especially since I've never had one outside of the oil and vinegar that we Italians love so much :).
- March 27, 2011 at 4:26 PM
- Loralee Choate said...
Thanks for the shout-out, Mary! We love your blog.
Where Women Cook - March 27, 2011 at 4:42 PM
- Wendy Irene said...
That is wonderful your blog is being featured!! :) I adore Vidalia onions and I have never made my own dressing using them. I am so happy to see it does not involve a lot of ingredients. I love that you make a lot of your own condiments! Have a peaceful Sunday!
- March 27, 2011 at 5:25 PM
- Katie@Cozydelicious said...
This dressing looks wonderful! Would be great on some sliced cucumbers - or as a dip!
- March 27, 2011 at 6:00 PM
- scrambledhenfruit said...
I love making my own salad dressing- I like making just enough for us to use in a short time because I don't like having lots of bottles cluttering up the refrigerator. This Vidalia onion dressing looks delicious. :) When my kids were little and we'd have several different boxes open at a time (and thus the little bits left in the bottom) I'd mix it together and call it cereal salad. :)
- March 27, 2011 at 7:22 PM
- That Girl said...
We have a hard time getting vidalias out here. I miss them. Mauis just aren't the same.
- March 27, 2011 at 7:35 PM
- Rhonda said...
I was just thinking that I need to make this dressing but I didn't have a recipe. I was so happy to see that you posted one. Thanks!
- March 27, 2011 at 8:48 PM
- Candace said...
Congratulations on your feature, Mary! It is well deserved. I love that you've posted a recipe for Sweet Vidalia Onion dressing. It is one of my favorites. Making my own salad dressing is something that I've been doing quite often lately. I never thought about using that dressing on fruit though. I will have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe! Have a great week!
- March 27, 2011 at 8:58 PM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
There is a dressing you can find at Costco but it is a HUGE bottle. I would love to try this recipe Mary. Also congratulations on being selected to be on Amuse Bouche!!
- March 27, 2011 at 9:08 PM
- Ryan said...
I love to find recipes for homemade salad dressings and double bonus that this uses Vidalia onions! My Mom is from GA so we are big Vidalia fans! This sounds wonderful! Have a great night!
- March 27, 2011 at 9:14 PM
- Buttercup said...
I am a big fan of Vidalia onions and will look forward to trying this. So glad for the feature.
- March 27, 2011 at 9:43 PM
- What's next said...
I've had Vidalia onion dressing but never thought to make my own... looks wonderful.
- March 27, 2011 at 10:03 PM
- Vickie said...
Contests on being featured! This recipe sounds delicious and I can't wait to try it. I grow so much lettuce in the summer andI go through a LOT of salad dressing. How fun to find a new way to dress my salads!
- March 27, 2011 at 11:56 PM
- mia xara said...
Thank you for posting this recipe, Mary!Now I can make the peanut-crusted chicken you made last week..It sounds delicious! Have a good week!
- March 28, 2011 at 12:41 AM
- traceytwodogs said...
Help me, Mary. I make all my own dressings and can't wait to try yours. Alas, I do not own or use a microwave. What do you suggest for heating the onion? Steam it? or could I wrap in foil and heat in the oven?
- March 28, 2011 at 3:07 PM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Tracy I'd steam the onion. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary
- March 28, 2011 at 3:10 PM
- Jenn @ Youknow...that Blog? said...
Tried this a couple days ago, with your peanut crusted chicken recipe - both were big hits! This was super simple to make, and I'll be doing it again. Thanks for this, Mary!!
- March 29, 2011 at 2:03 PM
- Deb in Hawaii said...
You are cute--love your pet peeves. ;-) This dressing looks so creamy and delicious.
Congrats on being featured too. ;-) - March 29, 2011 at 4:34 PM
- Steph Peterson said...
Mary, thanks so much for stopping by my blog! I have been looking for a dressing like this for what seems like forever! You have so many tasty looking recipes on here. I will be browsing often! :)
- April 2, 2011 at 9:15 PM
- Unknown said...
Thanks for adding my link. All your dressings look fabulous!
- April 14, 2011 at 10:26 PM
Could you use this to make a pasta salad? Thanks, Barbara.
- October 4, 2011 at 8:45 AM
- Renee' said...
I fell in love with Oak Hill Vidalia Onion dressing and needed to recreate a homemade version. I made your recipe first and it blew me away! I did alter it though, I don't believe in microwaves so I sauteed my onion and added a thick round of onion and blended in my Vita-mix. It chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours and boy oh boy!
Thanks so much for the recipe, I look forward to trying more of your creations!
G. Renee' - July 7, 2012 at 11:30 PM
- Unknown said...
Can u trade veggie oil for EVOO?
- February 23, 2014 at 5:21 AM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Yes, you can use vegetable oil in place of olive oil.
- February 23, 2014 at 10:13 AM
- Unknown said...
thanks so much for this, I love sweet vidalia onion dressing on a spinach salad with mandarins!
- December 22, 2014 at 1:39 PM
- Unknown said...
I used 1/2 a large Vidalia onion, but this was too pungent. Next time I make this I would use Just 1 Tablespoon as I luv Vidalia onion dressing
- June 24, 2016 at 9:01 PM


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Dark Sunsation Mini Sun Set
Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews
Sun Laboratories Dark Sunsation Self Tanning Lotion Set 2 oz.
Important Facts About Product
An instant dose of color helps prevent streaks and patches
Nice dark colors sets in about three hours
A deep dark tan for face and body
Fast and easy to apply
Organic sugar based formula
Promotes moist skin
Can be used on all skin types
Before And After Sunless Tanning Photo
How To Apply Sunless Tanning Video
Here are Some Product Reviews
5 out of 5
Great smelling spray tan from san Francisco, CA Verified Purchaser
Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product smells great, like cherry almond and goes on smooth, no streaks, excellent self tanning spray and I've been using them a long time. I used to use St Tropez but now I'm a fan of this brand. Review posted 4/14/2012.
5 out of 5
great self tanner! from Shenandoah junction, WV Verified Purchaser
love the Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product almond scent, non streaking and the color is a beautiful brown, not orange like some other self tanners I have tried in the past. Review posted 7/10/2011.
5 out of 5
Very natural looking tan. from Toronto, ON Verified Purchaser
The tan I got was very close to my natural color of a tan. Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product doesn't have the usual self-tanner scent - smells like almonds. I apply it every other day to maintain the color. Stains hands a lot even if you wash them immediately after and will stain your bedding as well (but washes away without a trace on white sheets). Palms of your hands return to normal color by the afternoon the next day. One bottle of Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product lasts for approximately 2-3 weeks with every other day application on a petite body. Review posted 6/16/2012.
5 out of 5
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I love this Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product. It's great to mix with the lotion of your choice. It has a bronzer in it as well as a tanner, so you can see where it is and isn't as you're applying it. Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product's very dark, so it lasts a long time, too. Review posted 10/10/2012.
5 out of 5
Very good, realistic color from a self-tanner from Ipswich, MA Verified Purchaser
The best quality of this Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product is that it contains a color guide that actually stains your skin (some of it washes off, but part of the color guide remains and is long lasting) and so the color guard tint adds to the DHA self-tanner color...this makes the resulting 'tan' more realistic than a DHA self-tan alone would be. Normally I avoid self-tanners with color guides as they tend to be messy, to stain clothing and look dirty, but this product's color guide actually has a purpose in that it improves the final tan color. That usually isn't the case, especially with most drugstore self-tanners. Also, this Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product has very little of that unattractive self-tanner scent. Lastly, because the concentration of DHA is quite high, you use less (one or two coats) to get a dark color, but you avoid being orange because of the residual stain of the color guide. The end result is a reddish brown tan color. Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product is pricey, but will last a long time and a worthwhile investment if you tend to turn orange with self-tanners. Good product! Review posted 11/7/2007.
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Instant natural looking tan! from Streetsboro, OH Verified Purchaser
Finally! Results in ONE night, no orangey color, no stained clothes! I used this Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product 3 nights in a row and instantly had a great looking tan! AND it really made my skin feel great after washing it off the next day... like it added oil-free moisture! I tend to have problematic skin (redness, dry patches but also breakouts on my back) and so sunless tanners usually add to the problems but not this Sun Laboratories Self Tanner Reviews product. Review posted 12/24/2012.
Ingredient List: Sun Laboratories Ultra Dark Self Tanning Lotion Set 2.7 oz.
Deionized Water, Dehydroxyacetone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Clyceryl Stearate (And) PEG 100 Stearate, Hazelnut/Pecan Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol (And) Ceteareth 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Aloe Vera Extract, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium Edta, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ascorbic Acid, BHT, Citric Acid, Fd&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1.
Directions: Sun Laboratories Ultra Dark Self Tanning Lotion Set 2.7 oz.
Smooth evenly over face and body. Color is instant and will intensify in three hours. To avoid discoloring palms, wash hands with soap and water immediately after use. Wait at least one hour after use before contact with water or bathing..


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Hidden Modifications
Text and photography by Miles Cook
Suppose that you have a classic Falcon, Fairlane, Galaxie, Mustang or any other collectible Ford or Mercury of any year or body style. We'll imagine that it's all restored or in fairly good shape as is. Or if the car is a project that's in the process of going together, we'll shoot for the goal of having it on the road in the next six months to a year.
Let's surmise that you want the car to look essentially stock, but you'd like it to drive better than the typical above-noted car that's 100 percent original. We're not talking a 10-second drag car or an extreme open-track road racer, but rather a good-performing street car that can keep up with just about anything on the highway and hold its own on the twisty stuff, too.
If these parameters are what you're thinking of, then this overview will be right up your alley. In simple terms, we're going to focus on the best upgrades you can do to a vintage Ford that most people will never know are there–unless you mention them of course.
Note that the first section will encompass things that can be done with engines that are nearly or totally invisible, while the remaining sections will focus on other areas of the car.
This '69 Mustang is a great example of what this overview covers. At first glance what can you see that isn't stock on this car? Not much really, other than a set of Baer disc brakes, larger Vintage Wheel Works 17-inch wheels and a Maier Racing fiberglass hood. It's a great way to build a fun-to-drive Mustang or other classic Ford--keep it subtle but have plenty of hidden but effective upgrades that dramatically improve the overall driving experience.
The 351W in our '69 looks fairly stock with the only really noticeable external upgrades being its JBA headers, Edelbrock Performer 351 intake and late-model-style distributor cap. It even has the stock "Power by Ford" valve covers. And if we painted the intake manifold, aluminum cylinder heads and valve covers engine-color Ford blue, they'd be even better concealed. Our goal here was to make the engine look like a fairly ho-hum 351W as found in other '69 Mustangs. While it looks the part, this Windsor is actually a reasonably healthy street engine that has plenty of internal upgrades. All them invisible, no less, to make it much stronger than a stock 351W. Included in the Smeding Performance short-block are a freshened crank and stock 351W rods. Forged aluminum flat-top pistons net about a 10.4:1 compression ratio. With a 0.030-inch overbore and a stock stroke, the 358-cube Windsor is topped with a pair of AFR 185 aluminum cylinder heads which are home to a set of Comp Cams roller rockers. A Comp XR282RF hydraulic roller cam gives the engine a decidedly lively personality. With the Edelbrock intake, a Holley 650 cfm carb, a set of JBA headers and a Pertronix Ignitor ignition, this combo makes more than 300 horsepower at the rear wheels without really looking the part.
As you likely might be well aware, several things can be done to an engine that will, for the most part, remain totally invisible to the casual observer. Even with a closer look many would be hard-pressed to notice much of what we touch on here. In fact anything inside an engine will never be seen or known about by anyone, unless you happen to discuss it.
Stroker Short-Block
This one is pretty obvious. On the outside, a 347 will always look like a 289 or a 302 and a 392, 408 or 427 will always look like a 351W. Is this the ultimate hidden mod? Could be. Take, for example, this '70 Boss 302 Mustang engine. A show-quality restoration effort, could anyone detect this to be a 345-cubic-inch stroker motor? Highly unlikely. And combined with the following other hidden tricks that can be done to any V-8 engine installed in a classic Ford (small-blocks, Clevelands, FEs and 429/460s included) this one might be the hidden mod that does the most, while at the same time shows the least.
More Compression
Building that stroker short-block (or even if you stay with a standard stroke engine like was done here with our 351W) and bumping up the compression a point or so is another totally invisible thing nobody will ever know about. When putting together a new engine for any Ford, consider ratios in the 9.5:1-10.5:1 range for a strong running combination that will run well with typical 91-93 octane pump gas.
Higher Spec Cam
Combined with a higher compression ratio, bigger cams play a part in making more power. Healthier cams are always invisible to the eye. But, of course, they're readily apparent to the typical enthusiast ear once the engine is running. But you can always bluff a little, depending on how lopey the idle is.
Roller Rockers
Do you already have a stock engine in your car that runs good and doesn't need the internal changes mandated by building a new engine with more compression and/or a stroker combination? If so, a valvetrain anchored by a good set of roller rockers such as these Comp Cams 1.6:1 ratio (standard 289/302/351W) rockers will always be hidden by the valvecovers. Combine these with a roller cam upgrade and you have the makings of a thoroughly modern valvetrain that's decades ahead of what was offered in the '60s and '70s.
Eliminate Points
Another upgrade that's invisible and uses the stock distributor housing, is eliminating the points and condenser, which is what a Pertronix Ignitor does. Doing away with the points and condenser used in stock Autolite and Motorcraft distributors should be near the top of anyone's list of upgrades to make a car more daily-driver reliable–even if the car isn't used that often.
Cylinder-Head Porting
This is another one that merits mention, simply because it's so effective. Porting Ford cylinder heads for improved flow is a time-honored way to make more power. And, of course, it's as invisible as can be. With no mention that you have ported heads on your car, it's another one of those hidden mods that's impossible to detect. Both aftermarket and stock heads (such as a '69 351W casting) can be ported, but keep in mind that spending the time and money to port aftermarket heads will yield better results in the end that expending the same efforts on stock heads. And if you want to go with an ultra sneaky option for aftermarket aluminum (or cast-iron) heads, then consider painting them your car's factory engine color to make them even less likely to be discovered.
Other Equipment
Moving to other parts of the car besides under the hood, there are several ways to improve upon a vintage Ford without it being apparent. Options here pertain to the drivetrain, brakes and suspension.
Overdrive Transmission with a Stock Shifter
In our opinion, this is the single best improvement that can be done to any '50s, '60s or '70s era Ford. For cars with automatics, a four-speed AOD is the way to go. For cars with three–or four-speed manuals, the shown T5 five-speed setup from Modern Driveline is an excellent option. Regardless whether your preference is for an automatic or a manual, as long as a transmission has an overdrive top gear you simply cannot go wrong with installing one in any Falcon, Fairlane, Galaxie or Mustang.
We've owned and/or driven several vintage Fords with AODs and five-speeds and the personality of the whole car is dramatically changed for the better. There isn't any other single thing you can do to make a classic Ford so dramatically better to live with on a regular basis–especially if you do a lot of freeway driving.
Furthermore, with an automatic, AOD conversions can be done using the stock shifter such as in '65-'73 Mustangs, so the upgrade remains totally hidden until the car shifts into top gear on the highway at 70 mph.
For five-speeds, stock-look shift handles such as available from California Pony Cars can be used to keep things unobtrusive. And if you run a shift knob that doesn't have a five-speed pattern on it, nobody will ever know that your classic Ford car has the high-speed cruise capabilities that all new cars have today.
Rearend Gear Ratios and Limited-Slip Differentials
This is much like an overdrive transmission and the internal engine upgrades we've discussed--anything upgraded inside an 8- or a 9-inch rearend will always remain invisible to the naked eye. Limited-slip differentials of any description are a solid advancement, as are a set of lower (numerically higher) rearend gears–made all the more possible with the addition of a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual trans. For the majority of vintage Fords that most drive on a daily basis, ratios in the 3.00-3.70 range work very well. For any car with an AOD or T5, 3.00, 3.25 or 3.50 gears are a good choice. If you want more off-the-line punch, ratios in the 3.50-3.80 range are choices to consider. Just remember that the lower the gear (again, numerically higher) the more gas you're going to use. For example expect about 10 percent less fuel mileage running a 3.25 gear, compared to a 3.00–whether you have an overdrive trans or not.
Suspension and Chassis
Yet another mod most will be hard-pressed to notice are suspension improvements. You'll have to at least look under the car to discover anything. Different rate springs, better shocks, larger antisway bars and upgraded control arms all qualify. Subframe connectors are another thing to consider–especially if you have a convertible. While maybe a little easier to discover than say, an upgraded rearend, most suspension upgrades are still relatively stealthy and looking underneath the car is required to see them.
Not Totally Hidden
Slightly Larger Diameter Wheels
Most vintage Fords came with 13-, 14- or 15-inch wheels. Upgrading to a 15- or 16-inch wheel of some sort, or at the biggest a 17-inch on a bigger car is a subtle change that can be tough to detect. And if you stay with a 15-inch wheel on smaller cars like '65-'66 Mustangs or a Falcon, that choice will usually be harder to distinguish. Anything 16 inches or bigger definitely stands out on smaller cars like '65-'66 Mustangs or '60-'65 Falcons.
Bigger cars like a Galaxie or a '66-'67 Fairlane can easily accommodate a 16-inch wheel without it being real obvious, as along as wheel offset is correct and the tire isn't too large. Also consider factory-style wheels, with the best example being a '65-'67-type Mustang styled-steel wheel available from several sources in 15-inch sizes.
As far as tire sizes, our experience has shown us that on a 16x8-inch wheel, 225/50R16 and 245/50R16 tires fit well on '67-and-newer Mustangs and the shown '67 Fairlane, while several sizes fit nicely on 15-inch wheels for '65-'66 Mustangs. These include 215/60R15s, 225/50R15s and 205/55R15s. These suggestions will look great, but most will still be subdued enough for many to overlook.
Rack and Pinion Steering
Not very visible unless you look under the car, this upgrade makes a huge difference in the way a vintage Ford behaves on the highway. If you want your car to be a true high-speed road-trip cruiser, a rack-and-pinion system such as shown from Total Control Products is a worthwhile option to consider.
If there was one area where you shouldn't worry about whether the upgrade is hidden or not, it's the brakes. However, most stock wheels hide brakes quite well. If your car has front drum brakes, a set of stock-type front disc brakes won't normally generate much attention. However, if you want to go beyond that, but still maintain the hidden quality, Baer Brake Systems now has systems with PBR calipers and 11-inch rotors that will fit behind many stock-type 15-inch wheels. Stainless Steel Brakes also has these optional drilled and slotted rotors that are very difficult to detect behind the stock 14-inch styled-steel wheel on this '67 Mustang.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Very popular engine upgrades that have always been effective are headers, an aftermarket intake and a four-barrel carburetor. While they're a great way to go, they do have a drawback in the context of our discussion–you can readily see them with just a casual glance.
However, there are ways around this issue when it comes to these three components. For example if your classic Falcon, Fairlane, Galaxie or Mustang has a two-barrel, adding whatever four-barrel that would've come on the car for that year along with a factory cast-iron four-barrel intake are one way to hide the upgrade. An Autolite 4100 four-barrel on a '65-'66 Mustang is a good example. Painting an aftermarket aluminum intake a factory engine color is also an effective trick, and combine that with the carb hidden under the air cleaner and you have these two items pretty much out of sight.
As for exhaust, one possibility is to Extrude Hone stock cast-iron manifolds to pick up a little extra power. And if you start with K-code manifolds, the results will, of course, be better than with log-style ones. Other than maybe a shorty design, most headers will be detectable. Headers are one of the more obvious underhood changes you can do, but with everything else that can be hidden, you could say they're the only things you did to your car–until, that is, they hear that big lumpy cam.
Published Dec 7th, 2015


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Shawn Johnson
Shawn Johnson covers the State Capitol for Wisconsin Public Radio. Shawn joined the network in 2004. Prior to that he worked for WUIS-FM, a public radio station in Springfield, Illinois. There, Shawn reported on the Illinois legislature. He also managed the station's western Illinois bureau, where he produced features on issues facing rural residents. He previously worked as an Assistant Producer for WBBM-AM radio in Chicago.
Shawn's work has earned awards from the Associated Press and has been featured on National Public Radio.


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Related Subjects
The graph displays the other subjects mentioned on the same pages as the subject "Catalina Bermudez". If the same subject occurs on a page with "Catalina Bermudez" more than once, it appears closer to "Catalina Bermudez" on the graph, and is colored in a darker shade. The closer a subject is to the center, the more "related" the subjects are.


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Updated 2016
Hungary has been getting a lot of attention from travelers lately and with good reason. Its location in the center of Central Europe is easy to reach from a variety of places and it offers Western-style luxuries and mostly Eastern-style prices. That won't last forever though so it would be best to put Hungary on your list before the Western prices catch up as they are in some surrounding countries.
What To Do
Budapest is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and its location between East and West makes for some fascinating architecture. With almost 2 million residents, Budapest couldn't be considered a small town, but the old section of town is compact and easy to explore on foot. The Danube River divides the western half known as Buda from the eastern half known as Pest (seriously). In the Buda side the most popular attractions are on Castle Hill and include the Royal Palace and the National Gallery. The downtown is on the Pest side and there you'll find the old town and its stunning architecture.
Pécs is a 2,000-year-old town established by the Romans. It's become popular with travelers recently as a very pleasant small and traditional city, but its university insures that culture and nightlife are there too. The city has many churches and mosques scattered throughout and is known for its porcelain production, but the most important sight is an early Christian cemetery that is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Read: Planning an Extended Trip to Central Europe.
Getting There
Train connections are easy to Budapest so it's a great stop for Eurail Pass holders and other train lovers. Long distance bus services are also available, but most people will book a flight into Budapest Ferihegy International Airport. It's now served by several low-cost carriers so that competition means good deals are often available. Plans are to extend the Metro system to the airport, but for now
there are buses and shuttles that can take you directly into the city center.
Read: 8 Ways to Experience the Best of Eastern Europe in Budapest.
Where To Stay
Nearly every trip to Hungary will include a stay in Budapest and it's the highlight of the country for many people. There are several hostels in Budapest and many hotels to choose from as well. Prices tend to be reasonable for now, but the better places will fill up well ahead of time in peak season so plan ahead. There are also accommodations in Pécs as well as hostels throughout Hungary.


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It might seem that all I cook and eat is typically Bong Food and all others Cuisines are Greek & Latin to me, actually I like Greek and Latin Ameriacn food too and I like all other non Greek food too. Truth is I simply love to eat and try out different restaurants and eat outs.
We also cook a lot of non Bong food, of course the easy ones, but I never chronicle them because there are a lot of source out there on blogs and non blogs from where I and millions other get the recipe. However on many of these occasions I throw in some of my ideas (rotten though they may be) and the result turns out to be something which the originator might not have had in mind. Me on the other hand is unable to re-create the recipe when the need arises as I suffer from mild amnesia.
I don't know if it is with other people too but I have had a loss of memory after my pregnancy, though my husband claims it's just old age, I feel it's the hormones. I can well remember random stuff like my neighbour's daughter's third cousins dog's name but I have to scratch and stress my poor brain to remember the first Ash starrer, ok it might be because it's better if Ash starrers are forgotten but come on I do need that extra RAM.
So not relying too much on my memory I thought to borrow some server space with Blogger and upload the recipes that might not be Bengali but are eaten and liked at our home.
So here goes Chicken 65 from the great blogs like MyDhaba and PastPresent&Me.
This is a dish we liked during our stay down south in Bangalore where we were very surprised to find curry leaves in our chicken on our first day of restaurant hopping, but later got used to it :) Do not read further and Go to the above sites to find the authenticate versions.
On my part I liked both their recipes and merged them. A quick recap for myself
How I Did It
Marinade the chicken pieces in vinegar, 2 tsp garlic paste, salt, little turmeric powder, little red chilli powder, 1 tsp soya sauce, a sprinkle of corn flour and a dash of sambhar powder (this is what Vee said and boy did I like it) for a couple of hours
Heat Oil
Add Mustard seeds, Curry Leaves and finely chopped Garlic
Ideally it's good to add chopped green chillies, but I went light on it
When the spices sputter, add the chicken pieces (pick them up from the marinade and add)
Fry till they are browned
Check to see if they are done, else cover and cook in low heat, no water added
Great Chicken65 ready in a jiffy
Eat and thank VKN and Vee and other bloggers who have contributed this recipe.
Other Chicken65 Recipes on the same line
Shaheen of Malabar Spices -- Chicken 65
Trivia: Theory no.1:The story goes that an English traveller visiting Kerala in 1965 asked a chef to make this dish. The traveller expressed his contentment at the result and left, whereupon the bar staff tried the remainders, having never seen anything like it before. The result certainly was good and Chicken 65 was born, there being no other name for it.
Theory no.2:As legend has it, in all the country liquor bars, the favourite 'food fight' is: who can eat the maximum number of chillies? It is a symbol of machismo to be able to eat the most chilies. An enterprising hotelier capitalised on this and cooked up the dish Chicken 65, denoting that 65 chillies were used for every kilogram of chicken. Some chefs believe it is called so because of the 65 ingredients used in making it.
Theory no.3:It was the 65th. item on the menu of a restaurant at Palghat
Source: The India Tree


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Always wished you knew more about wine, coffee, or fashion but not sure where to start without buying overpriced junk? You're not alone. Hobbies like coffee, wine, and tea are often associated with steep learning curves, difficult to understand jargon, high price tags, and worst of all, annoying people. That doesn't have to be the case: some web services, retailers, and buying clubs offer a steady stream of great prices, educational content so you can learn as you buy, and plain language. Here are a few you that will get you in on the ground floor.
Join a Wine Buying Club, or Sign Up for Daily Deals
Wine is probably the biggest offender when it comes to hobbies that often—but not always—cost a lot of money, and come laden with jargon like "varietal" and "nose" and "maturity" that can be difficult to understand for someone just getting into it. That's where wine buying clubs like Club W and Invino come in. Like many buying clubs, they only offer a limited supply of specific wines for a short period of time, but they go to great lengths to tell you all about them, the flavors you can expect, what you should pair the wines with. Club W, for example, even puts you through a quiz when you sign up to see what types of flavors you enjoy, and will match you up automatically with wines you would like. Each wine then has a intro video that describes where it comes from, who made it, and the best way to enjoy it. Photo by Ben Novakovic.
The downside to buying clubs is that some of them keep the wine coming until you cancel, or only offer their wines for a short period before they're gone forever—which sucks if you find one you really like. Alternatively you can sign up for daily deal services like Wine Woot! or Cinderella Wine (from the folks at Wine Library), services which are just as committed to user education, but a bit more forgiving when it comes to stock levels and variety. That daily email that arrives in your inbox will tell you everything you need to know about the wine of the day, and even if you miss the deal of the day, you can usually pick it up elsewhere.
Buy Suits, Shirts and Dresses from a Custom Clothier
Fashion is an individual art, and looks good on you won't necessarily look good on other people. If you've ever walked into a department store and been utterly dismayed by the lack of variety or interesting clothes on the racks, or the lack of sizes that work for you, you know what we mean. Thankfully there's a growing number of services that offer casual and formal clothing easier to size, easier to buy, and easier to shop for:
Black Lapel has an strong commitment to educating its customers about suit and formalwear styles while selling them those same styles at discounted prices. If you're looking for quality men's formalwear, their sizing tools and online suit builder will have you looking sharp in no time.
Bombfell asks for your size, and that's about it. Their goal is to give you "girlfriend approved clothes for the lazy man," which means they'll have a stylist take your information, what types of clothes you need (casual, business casual, or formal), and your measurements, they'll select some quality, stylish clothing options for you, and ship them to you every month. You don't even have to shop.
Indochino took the top spot in our best online custom clothing stores poll, and while they focus on men's formalwear as well, they offer some great prices and well-tailored suits for your money. They offer tons of accessories, and spring for shipping.
JackThreads is a shopping club in the truest sense: you have to sign up for a membership in order to buy, and there's a waiting list (although if you listen to any Revision3 podcast, you know how to get past that), but once you're in, you can shop dozens of independent casualwear and accessory brands as discount prices. If you have trouble finding good-looking casual clothes in stores, look here.
eShakti offers women's casualwear and dresses, completely tailored and customized, at extraordinary prices, especially for women's clothes. While the custom online clothing market is dominated by menswear outlets, eShakti goes out of its way to offer seasonal and stylish womenswear that rotates on a regular basis so you get your choice of colors, styles, and accessories.
Make Your Own Jeans lets you customize men's and women's jeans from the fabric to the sticthing to embroidery to the buttons. If you've ever wondered what it takes to make a good pair of jeans, they'll show you, and give you plenty of options to build your perfect pair along the way. You'll never be without a good pair of pants again.
Dozens of sites will sell you limited edition t-shirts or well-tailored dress clothes, but we wanted to focus on some services that also have a commitment to education: That is, they want to help you find out what'll fit you well, look good on you at any size or shape, and save you money at the same time. That's the magic mixture: savings, comfort, and style.
Join a Coffee Club or CSA for Fresh, Small Batch Roasts
A few of us here at Lifehacker HQ love our coffee, but the world of coffee snobbery can be stand-offish and expensive to join. In some ways, it can be just as bad as wine, but it doesn't have to be. We've shown you how to make good coffee in a drip coffee maker, or how to upgrade to a French Press, or rock an AeroPress, but at the end of the day, your coffeemaking skills are at the mercy of the beans you use. Photo by David Joyce.
Consider joining a coffee club for regular coffee deliveries, like the ones offered by previously mentioned Tonx, or by world-reknowned Intelligentsia Coffee, both of whom are more than eager to teach you the ins and outs of good, quality coffee as they are to sell some to you. You may also consider joining a Coffee CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) to get fresh beans every month, along with information about where they were grown and how to best prepare them. Even better, look for a local roaster in your area—you'll likely find several willing to ship or let you pick up your orders, and if you're lucky they may have open houses and tours where they'll show you how the magic happens.
Look for Retailers Willing to Educate You About Tea Before Buying
Tea is awfully similar to coffee in many respects, but the real differentiator with tea is how you prepare it and where you get it from. We've discussed how to get familiar with and started drinking tea here before, and even helped coffee lovers get into it, but tea is another beverage that requires a combination of technique and ingredients for maximum enjoyment. Sure, you can drop a bag into a cup and pour boiling water over it, but if you do, you're missing out on so much deliciousness. Photo by J Wynia.
You don't have to be put off by tea though, the fine folks at Adagio Tea will be more than happy to help you learn the difference between white, green, and black tea, and help you understand why those fancy herbal teas you see in the store aren't actually tea at all. Again, they have a vested interest in selling you tea, but they do a great job of helping you understand what you're buying and how to prepare it when you get it home. Intelligentsia also sells tea, and The Republic of Tea has their Citizen's Library, which is a treasure trove of information to help you choose teas you'll enjoy and prepare them so you really enjoy them. At the very least, reading up on some of the best ways to prepare tea will help you maximize the bags you probably have in your cabinet before you venture out and spend some money on good, loose-leaf tea.
Explore Other "Of The Month" Clubs and Small Retailers that Focus on Education
It's not difficult to bring some of those traditionally stuffy and vaguely haughty luxuries down to earth if you want to enjoy them. It doesn't hurt that retailers want to bring those products to the mainstream, and they know the best way to do so is to introduce them in a way everyone—from novice to expert—can understand and enjoy.We're not saying that these services should replace the kind of work and research required to get into a hobby like wine or coffee—if anything they should supplement them, help you make smart buying decisions, and encourage you to experiment with things you'll enjoy. Just remember, when it's your turn to be the expert, help your friends get into their passions with the same respect and care—then you'll have someone to enjoy a fancy cup of tea or a nice bottle of wine with.
Title photo by Dennis Tang.


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As Mitt Romney nears the end of his seven-day trip abroad, it's safe to call the results mixed at best.
The trip to Great Britain, Israel and Poland had several goals. It was meant to show that Romney has the gravitas and acumen to be this country's top foreign affairs policymaker; to remind U.S. voters of his success running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics; to appeal to certain voters in battleground states, especially Jewish and Catholic voters of Polish heritage, and to raise campaign cash.
As anyone paying attention to the all-but-official Republican presidential nominee's travels knows, the start of Romney's trip was far from ideal. He managed to insult his British hosts by initially expressing doubts about the eventual success of the London Olympics.
Even after Romney distanced himself from those early impolitic remarks, the British media wouldn't let go of the perceived diss. Success was certainly not the the word many observers attached to the London leg of the trip.
Fortunately for him, the next stop was Israel, a country led by longtime friend. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Romney has known since both worked as management consultants in Boston as young men, gave the American the expected warm reception.
But the Middle East is such a mess of political, ideological and geopolitical booby traps that it routinely causes U.S. presidents to stumble. Presidential candidates are no different.
First, Romney's campaign had to back off comments made by adviser Dan Senor, who appeared to suggest that Romney would be OK if the Israelis launched a unilateral attack against Iran to keep it from being able to make a nuclear bomb.
Romney himself angered Palestinians and others when he suggested that one of the reasons Israel is more economically successful than the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip is "the power of at least culture and a few other things." Some, including chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekhat, saw that formulation as racist. Romney also said Jerusalem should be Israel's capital, and here's how Erekhat responded:
"The Romney statements on Jerusalem and the racist statements about the Israeli culture being superior to the Palestinian culture reflect someone who needs to be educated, who needs knowledge. His statements are serving those extremist in the region now, and will serve extremists unfortunately."
Not that Romney didn't accomplish some of what he wanted to in Israel. President Obama has been viewed skeptically by many Israelis and American Jews who perceive him as a less stalwart ally than his predecessor.
Thus, Romney found a ready audience among Israelis whose views are shared by some American Jewish voters as well. As the Jewish Daily Forward reported about the reaction to Romney's speech in Jerusalem:
"The speech also got good marks from analysts. 'I thought it was excellent,' [said] Hannah Diskin, a professor at Hebrew University. 'He really doesn't hesitate to go with it and show that he's a real friend of Israel.... As soon as he started talking... he pushed all the right buttons, saying everything that Republicans in Israel could have wanted him to say."
As Harvard professor Stephen Walt notes in blog post on the Foreign Policy web site, when it comes to Israel and the U.S. Jewish vote, Romney is far from the only politician who says what the intended audience wants to hear.
The Republican's Israel visit was intended to shake loose some of Obama's support among Jewish voters. A recent Gallup poll showed Obama favored by about 68 percent of Jewish voters, roughly the same numbers enjoyed in 2008.
The trip was also intended to raise a lot of money. Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino owner who staunchly supports Israel's conservative government, hosted a $50,000-a couple fundraiser for Romney at the historic King David Hotel in Jerusalem. The Daily Forward has a colorful report on the scene at the hotel during the Romney-Adelson fundraiser.
Poland, the last stop of Romney's foreign tour, was meant to do a few things for Romney.
One, his visit there would allow him to make a play for Catholic voters with ties to Poland in several U.S. battleground states.
As CBS News explained in a very useful report:
"The states that hold the largest communities of Polish-American voters overlap significantly with this year's swing states. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio all are home to numerous voters who trace their heritage to Poland, according to John Kromkowski, a Catholic University professor who studies urban and ethnic politics.
" 'They're not only in swing states, but over the decades that I've been tracking this, they're also swing voters,' he said. 'It's sort of a mixed population, so it's an almost archetypal swing vote.' "
In Poland, Romney could also signal through his visit that he would be a better friend to that nation than Obama. The president's relations with Polish leaders were frayed by his decision against following through on his predecessor's plan to deploy a U.S. missile-system in Poland. It hasn't helped that the Poles viewed Obama as trying to mend U.S. relations with Russia at Poland's expense, as laid out in a Foreign Policy piece.
The Polish visit also allowed Romney to associate with an authentic national hero of global stature, Lech Walesa, the electrician who became the best-known leader of the Solidarity trade-union movement that hastened the downfall of the Soviet-led government in 1989.
Walesa, who eventually became Poland's president, gave Romney something that sounded like an endorsement. The Washington Post reported:
"Lech Walesa, the Nobel Prize winner and former Polish president, effectively endorsed Mitt Romney for president here Monday.
" 'I wish you to be successful because this success is needed to the United States, of course, but to Europe and the rest of the world, too. Governor Romney, get your success, be successful!' Walesa said through a translator following their joint meeting in Gdansk."
Walesa's remark led to some pushback from his old trade union Solidarity. Once it was informed by its U.S. ally — the AFL-CIO, which supports Obama — Solidarity issued a statement:
"In relation to Lech Walesa's meeting with Mitt Romney, a candidate for President of the USA, I wish to inform that NSZZ 'Solidarnosc' is in no way involved in the organization of this meeting nor had the initiative to invite Mitt Romney to Poland.
"Regretfully, we have learned from our friends in the American trade union central AFL-CIO, representing over 12 million workers, about Mitt Romney's support for the attacks against trade unions and labor rights. In this respect, I wish to express, on behalf of the President of NSZZ 'Solidarnosc' Piotr Duda, our solidarity with American workers and trade unions. NSZZ 'Solidarnosc' will always support the AFL-CIO in their struggle for the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively.
In any event, while the results of Romney's trip abroad were uneven, the 2012 election isn't likely to be decided by foreign policy unless something unforeseen reshapes the contest.
As a writer for the German newspaper Frankfurte Allgemeine Zeitung put it:
"But regardless of how stately and diplomatic, or amateurish and clumsy he appears, or how much he talks about the supposed foreign policy errors and failures of the president, who still wears Bin Laden's scalp on his belt, it will have little meaning for the outcome of the November election. The presidential election is a referendum on Obama's domestic policy record. It will be largely decided by the major themes of the economic situation and outlook."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Roll up a sleeve for the blood pressure cuff. Stick out a wrist for the pulse-taking. Lift your tongue for the thermometer. Report how many minutes you are active or getting exercise.
Wait, what?
If the last item isn't part of the usual drill at your doctor's office, a movement is afoot to change that. One recent national survey indicated only a third of Americans said their doctors asked about or prescribed physical activity.
Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation's largest nonprofit health insurance plans, made a big push a few years ago to get its southern California doctors to ask patients about exercise. Since then, Kaiser has expanded the program across California and to several other states. Now almost 9 million patients are asked at every visit, and some other medical systems are doing it, too.
Here's how it works: During any routine check of vital signs, a nurse or medical assistant asks how many days a week the patient exercises and for how long. The number of minutes per week is posted along with other vitals at the top the medical chart. So it's among the first things the doctor sees.
"All we ask our physicians to do is to make a comment on it, like, 'Hey, good job,' or 'I noticed today that your blood pressure is too high and you're not doing any exercise. There's a connection there. We really need to start you walking 30 minutes a day,'" said Dr. Robert Sallis, a Kaiser family doctor. He hatched the vital sign idea as part of a larger initiative by doctors groups.
He said Kaiser doctors generally prescribe exercise first, instead of medication, and for many patients who follow through that's often all it takes.
It's a challenge to make progress. A study looking at the first year of Kaiser's effort showed more than a third of patients said they never exercise.
Sallis said some patients may not be aware that research shows physical inactivity is riskier than high blood pressure, obesity and other health risks people know they should avoid. As recently as November a government-led study concluded that people who routinely exercise live longer than others, even if they're overweight.
Zendi Solano, who works for Kaiser as a research assistant in Pasadena, Calif., says she always knew exercise was a good thing. But until about a year ago, when her Kaiser doctor started routinely measuring it, she "really didn't take it seriously."
She was obese, and in a family of diabetics, had elevated blood sugar. She sometimes did push-ups and other strength training but not anything very sustained or strenuous.
Solano, 34, decided to take up running and after a couple of months she was doing three miles. Then she began training for a half marathon — and ran that 13-mile race in May in less than three hours. She formed a running club with co-workers and now runs several miles a week. She also started eating smaller portions and buying more fruits and vegetables.
She is still overweight but has lost 30 pounds and her blood sugar is normal.
Her doctor praised the improvement at her last physical in June and Solano says the routine exercise checks are "a great reminder."
Kaiser began the program about three years ago after 2008 government guidelines recommended at least 2 1/2 hours of moderately vigorous exercise each week. That includes brisk walking, cycling, lawn-mowing — anything that gets you breathing a little harder than normal for at least 10 minutes at a time.
A recently published study of nearly 2 million people in Kaiser's southern California network found that less than a third met physical activity guidelines during the program's first year ending in March 2011. That's worse than results from national studies. But promoters of the vital signs effort think Kaiser's numbers are more realistic because people are more likely to tell their own doctors the truth.
Dr. Elizabeth Joy of Salt Lake City has created a nearly identical program and she expects 300 physicians in her Intermountain Healthcare network to be involved early this year.
"There are some real opportunities there to kind of shift patients' expectations about the value of physical activity on health," Joy said.
NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago's northern suburbs plans to start an exercise vital sign program this month, eventually involving about 200 primary care doctors.
Dr. Carrie Jaworski, a NorthShore family and sports medicine specialist, already asks patients about exercise. She said some of her diabetic patients have been able to cut back on their medicines after getting active.
Dr. William Dietz, an obesity expert who retired last year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said measuring a patient's exercise regardless of method is essential, but that "naming it as a vital sign kind of elevates it."
Figuring out how to get people to be more active is the important next step, he said, and could have a big effect in reducing medical costs.
Related stories:


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Click to enlarge The Normal Line marched past Spotswood Hall to the gates at South Main Street |
Click to enlarge The Normal Line marching down South Main Street |
Since the students were on display, the faculty and administration required a uniform look. The girls wore white dresses with white stockings, white shoes, and white hats. Sleeves had to be at least half way to the elbow and the hem had to be fourteen inches from the floor. The rules were nothing to mess with. Graduates had to pass inspection conducted by a committee of students and chaperone of each dorm. For Violetta, inspection day was April 30, 1923.
Violetta's "casual picture" in the yearbook. Each senior had a formal portrait plus a casual photo taken somewhere on campus. |


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Symeon the Stylite
Our venerable and God-bearing Father Symeon the Stylite or Simeon, also called "the Great" (c. 390-459) was a monk living in Syria. Stylite means one who lives on a pillar (style in Greek). He is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on September 1.
Symeon was born to a shepherd's family in the Cappadocian village of Sisan in Syria. When he was a youth, he was deeply moved after hearing the Beatitudes, and decided to join a monastery. His desire for fasting and asceticism grew quickly.
The abbot asked him to withdraw from the monastery due to his strict asceticism, fearing that the other brothers would imitate the extreme fasts. Symeon withdrew to live in an empty well in the nearby mountains. The monks searched for him and asked Symeon to return to the monastery, but he soon left again to continue his asceticism.
Crowds came to him to receive healing and to learn more about the Christian faith, but to avoid them, Symeon went up to a pillar and began to live there in a little cell, still devoted to prayer and fasting. He sat or stood in prayer for many weeks at a time, but he was hardly cut off from the world.
He wrote letters and even received visitors via a ladder. Many threatened and ridiculed him, but far more were inspired by his constant fasting and prayer. Those who were attentive to his teachings include the Emperor Theodosius II of Rome and his wife, Empress Aelia Eudocia, as well as the Righteous Genevieve of Paris. His letter to the Emperor Leo of Constantinople in favor of the Council of Chalcedon was highly respected. Many people came to listen to him and even to be baptized:
- "Theodoret says that he became so famous in Rome that the Nomadic Arabs by the thousands believed in Christ and were baptized because of him; the King of Persia sent envoys to inquire into his way of life, and the Queen asked to be sent oil that he had blessed. He also was a great defender of sound doctrine, and confirmed the Orthodoxy of the Holy Council of Chalcedon for many who had been beguiled by the teachings of the Monophysites, including the Empress Eudocia, widow of Theodosius the Younger. After a life of unheard-of achievements and struggles, he reposed in peace at the age of sixty-nine, in the year 459." (1)
His body was taken down three days after his death, and his relics were sent to Antioch.
Apolytikion (First Tone):
- Thou becamest a pillar of patience and didst emulate the Forefathers, O righteous one:
- Job in his sufferings, Joseph in temptations, and the life of the bodiless while in the body,
- O Symeon, our righteous Father, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion (Second Tone):
- Thou soughtest the heights, though parted not from things below;
- thy pillar became a chariot of fire for thee.
- Thou becamest thereby a true companion of the angelic host;
- and together with them, O Saint, thou ceaselessly prayest Christ God for us all.
Other Stylites
- Father Daniel the Stylite (409-493), a disciple of Saint Symeon, whose feast is December 11
- Saint Symeon the New Stylite or the Younger (d. 592), whose feast is May 24
- Saint Alipios the Stylite (7th-8th century), whose feast is November 26
- Saint Lazarus the Stylite (968-1054), who fell asleep on November 8
External Links and Sources
The biography of Saint Symeon is found in the writings of the monk Anthony, who wrote it in Greek after witnessing the death of Saint Symeon. Another biography was written in Aramaic by two other followers: Symeo, son of Apollon, and Barhtar Barudan. The third source is the "History" of Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus, in 444. (2)
- Simeon the Stylite of the Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Book 1, Chapter 13 by Evagrius Scholasticus (AD 431-594), translated by E. Walford.
- St. Symeon and the Pillar Saints History of the Christian Church, Volume III: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 311-600. Chapter 4, Section 37, by Philip Schaff.
- St. Symeon the Stylite Monastery details the life of Saint Symeon as well as the history of the monastery in his name in Syria
- Simeon Stylites the Elder, Hermit from the site of Saint Patrick's Church in Washington, DC (Catholic)
- Saint Symeon the Stylite from the Orthodox Church in America website
- Father Symeon Stylite the Elder from the Santa Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, CT
- Symeon the Stylite from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
- Simeon Stylites (Wikipedia article)
- Icon of St. Simeon the Stylite with his mother, St. Martha
- Icon of St. Simeon the Stylite


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I had been wanting to try making my own granola for a while but I purposefully held off until the summer. I had seen granola being served with yogurt and fresh berries as a parfait and I wanted to try it like that. Now that the fresh local blueberries were out was the perfect time. I used the maple pecan granola that had survived my snacking for breakfasts last week in the form of parfaits with vanilla yogurt, fresh blueberries and topped it off with some maple syrup. It was amazing! The crunchy granola went really well in the cool and creamy vanilla yogurt with the juicy blueberries were just bursting with flavour. Towards the end of the week I had run out of vanilla yogurt and I decided to try some left over cottages cheese that needed to be used. I was pleasantly surprised that the slightly tangy cottage cheese worked really in this otherwise sweet dish. I would also imagine that vanilla frozen yogurt would also work well.
Blueberry and Maple Pecan Granola Parfait
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 handful maple pecan granola
- 1 handful blueberries
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Assemble parfait.


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10 Easy and Creative Last Minute Christmas Tree Decorations
Christmas is almost upon us, but that doesn't mean you still can't have some fun with your holiday decorations. Maybe you're the kind of person who waits until the last minute to set up your tree, or perhaps you've noticed some bare spots on the limbs just crying out for a few more ornaments. Or maybe you need a last minute activity to keep the kids busy while they wait for the impending arrival of Santa Claus. Nothing is more maddening for a child than the last few days leading up to Christmas, before all of their holiday loot arrives.
If you're in a decorating rut, and need some simple ideas that don't require a lot of prep time or money, don't worry –– we've got you covered. Here are some creative and inexpensive Christmas tree decorations you can put together with items that are probably already strewn about your house, or that can you find at a local convenience store or thrift shop.
Colorful Paper Globes
In case you're tired of the same old round Christmas globes you've used every year, you can make you own colorful paper globe ornaments. You'll need glue (glue guns work best, or glue sticks), stiff paper or thin cardboard that already has some designs on it (you can create your own designs with pens or paint) and a pair of scissors or a large circular hole punch.
Cut out 16-20 circles, about three inches in length. Fold the circles in half, with the colored parts facing inside, and then glue them together along the folded edge. You can use a hook or a piece of ribbon at the end for your hanging loop, and then presto… you have a great new tree ornament.
If you've got kids, you've probably got Legos as well. That's good news (at least as far as the Legos go), because you can build all kinds of ornaments out of Lego blocks. Construct your ornaments so that they resemble traditional holiday decorations, or be creative and attach a loop of sting onto a Lego Batman, Spiderman or Star Wars figure and hang them from a tree limb. Just try not to put up a Lego Joker, Bane or Darth Vader, unless you want a Lego superhero battle unfolding on your Christmas tree.
Old Toys
If you have some small, old toys that are in disrepair, you can give them a new lease on life with a bit of paint, and a thin wire hook or loop of ribbon or string.
Once you've attached your looped ribbon or hook onto the toy with some super glue, use model or spray paint to paint the toy (only if the original color has faded), turning it into a silver or golden decoration, which you can then spice up with some glitter. This decorative idea works especially well with wood and plastic toys, like trains, trucks, figurines and animals (not the stuffed kind, of course).
Ribbons and Boxes
If you already have a few small holiday-themed boxes taking up room in your house, why not wrap them up in a ribbon, decorate them and set them out on (not under) the Christmas tree? You can also make some small present boxes out of cardboard or old Christmas cards.
What could be more thematic than presents on a tree? Colorful wrapping paper, and bright ribbons will add some pizzazz to the boxes. The best thing about these decorations is that you can get them ready in no time at all.
Dangling Gingerbread Cookies
So your tree looks a little naked, and you need to spruce it up in a hurry since you're running out of time. Gingerbread cookies just might save the day. You can bake gingerbread into any shape you please, and decorate your cookies with chocolate chips, hot cinnamon lava balls and an assortment of other colorful treats.
Gingerbread stars, sports cars, spaceships and hockey sticks are just some of the objects you can create. If you don't leave your tree up for too long after the big day, you might even get away with eating some of these festive ornaments. Just make sure you gobble them down before they become stale.
Holiday Cookie Cutters
Okay, this idea might seem like a no-brainer, and a little on the simple side. Well, getting ready for Christmas can be a lot of hard work. Sometimes we need to do things fast. Some of us just aren't up to the incredible Yuletide standards exemplified by Martha Stewart.
The concept here is easy. Holiday cookie cutters already come in interesting shapes (trees, Santa, reindeer, snowmen) and are often vibrantly colored. Once all of your Christmas cookies have been cut out and baked, wash the metal cutters thoroughly, let them dry and then dangle them from your tree. You can complete them with a bow, colored paper, glitter or paint, but the last two items will make them harder to reuse the following year when you want to bake cookies again.
White seashells, or shells painted by you and your kids, make for wonderful tree ornaments. If you're fortune enough to live by the ocean, you might be able to pick up some shells at your local beach. If not, you'll have to use the shells you collected on your last seaside vacation, or buy some at a craft store.
You can paint holiday designs on the sides of gray and white shells or attach a piece of folded lace or ribbon to them. After you pierce small holes into the shells, and thread some string or fishing wire though, you'll be able to hang these lovely ornaments from your tree.
Pocket-Sized Alcohol Bottles
Those travel-sized booze bottles you pick up on the plane can also be used to garnish your tree. They're usually very small and colorful, and can reflect the glow of the surrounding Christmas lights. You can buy some already prepared for your home, or you can tie a piece of red or gold ribbon into a bow at the top of an empty miniature bottle, and suspend it from a tree limb.
True, these are more "adult themed" ornaments, but the kids are going to eventually figure out why the adults keep going back for more of that spiked eggnog. For many families, rum and wine (no matter the size of the booze container) are often a part of the festive season.
Paper Snowflakes
Most folks remember cutting out paper snowflakes when they were young. Usually your parents, or your teacher were the people who demonstrated how it was done. You have to fold a piece of paper (thicker paper for ornaments) diagonally in half a bunch of times, and then cut into it to make a snowflake, which you'll be able to see when you unfold the paper. If you add some ribbons, you can turn your beautiful snowflakes into Christmas tree ornaments, or general holiday decorations. They're easy and fun to make.
Old Christmas Card Cutouts
If you have a lot of old Christmas cards sitting around –– you know, the ones you get from the bank, or some group asking for donations -- you can use them to make ornaments. They're already packed with Christmas designs, after all.
You just need to cut them out into geometrical shapes, and put them together in the forms of small paper trees, garlands (strung together with wire or string) or simply keep the initial holiday characters and shapes (Frosty, Santa) that were on the cards in the first place. These ornaments are quick and simple to build, plus they give you a great way to recycle old cards.


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Vinyl is the world's second largest-selling plastic, and for good reason. Vinyl is low cost, high performance and versatile which makes it a top choice for many industries including communications, health care, aerospace; and of course home flooring. Statistics show that the production of vinyl flooring rose by 6.1% between 2011 and 2012, which would point to a significant rise in the demand for this kind of flooring. In addition to this, vinyl exports are up 1.9% in the past year alone, as well as vinyl continuing to edge out traditional wood to occupy 68% of the overall home applications market.
It is not just vinyl in general that has seen tremendous growth over the past decade or so. Vinyl plank flooring is now a top choice for many households in the United States and beyond, owing mainly to the low cost, durability and versatility of this type of flooring. Before settling on vinyl as your ultimate flooring option, it is first important to discover the benefits and problems with vinyl plank flooring. Like all other types of flooring, vinyl isn't all together perfect. There are some downsides that would be worth looking at before making the all-important flooring decision.
The Advantages of Vinyl Plank Flooring
There are a number of notable advantages of vinyl plank flooring over other types of flooring. It is these advantages that have lead to the soaring popularity of vinyl for home flooring applications:
Cost Factor: Vinyl planks are created to mimic the look and feel of real wood, but cost only a fraction of the price. Telling the difference between vinyl and real wood flooring is difficult especially to the untrained eye, which means that homeowners can enjoy the aesthetics of real wood without breaking bank.
Grain Dimension: Vinyl plank flooring is also designed with a huge variety of wood grain sizes that would otherwise be difficult to find in traditional wood. You can simply choose the grain dimension that match your specific preference of solid wood and that is easily incorporated into the home's decor. In addition to this, there are many different shades that mimic oak, maple, cherry and other types of wood. The design options here are literally limited to your imagination.
Durability: Vinyl flooring is one of the most durable types of flooring on the market; definitely more durable than real wood. This kind of flooring is great for high-traffic areas in the home, and is hardly susceptible to scratches, bumps and other defects as is common with real wood floors. In addition to this, the flooring is water resistant, meaning that it can be installed practically anywhere in the house including sensitive areas such as the kitchen or basement.
Installation: Vinyl plank flooring is some of the easiest flooring to install in any kind of space. Although it is recommended that you get an expert for the job, do-it-yourself enthusiasts with the appropriate knowledge and experience can easily install the flooring without the additional cost of calling in an expert. Installation can be done quickly, professionally and smoothly with little or no mess or wastage, which is more than can be said for hardwood flooring.
Comfort: Vinyl planks are comfortable underfoot and can be installed in high traffic areas. The planks also add an extra layer of insulation, making it a good option for additional sound proofing. The floor also doesn't create noise underfoot as is the case with real wood floors.
Maintenance: Vinyl is extremely easy to maintain, and only needs a vacuum followed by mopping with a damp cloth or mop. The flooring also doesn't easily stain, which makes it great for homes with pets and small children.
Refurbishing: A few touch-ups may be needed over time to restore the floor to its original condition. The advantage with vinyl planks is that they can be replaced easily and cheaply. You don't have to take out the entire flooring to refurbish it, all you need to do is work on the problem areas and your floor will be back to its former glory.
The Disadvantages of Vinyl Plank Flooring
As with any other types of flooring available on the market, there are a few downsides to vinyl planks. No flooring is 100% perfect, which is why it is important to understand both the benefits and problems with vinyl plank flooring before making a decision:
Durability: Although vinyl is durable and able to withstand chips and warping, the floor is still susceptible to scratches. These can begin to show over time especially in high traffic areas, so a little extra care is needed to maintain the aesthetics for as long as possible.
Fading: Vinyl planks have also been known to fade over time especially when exposed to direct sunlight. This therefore makes it a bad choice for outdoor applications.
Installation: Because the vinyl isn't nearly as solid as natural wood planks, a sub-floor will need to be installed before the actual vinyl planks.
Aesthetics: although vinyl does mimic the look of real solid wood, it is still vinyl. This is obvious especially to the trained eye, which can be a problem for some home owners.
Cleaning: You need to be careful when cleaning vinyl plank flooring as there are certain cleaners and solvents that may damage the floor. You want to use cleaners that have been manufactured to specifically cater for vinyl flooring.
Final Thought
It is extremely important to look at the benefits and problems with vinyl plank flooring. It is only after carefully considering both sides that you can be able to make an informed decision on whether or not this is the flooring for you.
Despite the downsides, vinyl planks are still an incredibly good option for home flooring applications. The disadvantages can easily be ignored given the many advantages of this type of flooring. The cost factor is the most important advantage, as not everyone is able to afford real solid wood floors especially given the current global economic situation.
It is important to explore other options before settling down on a single one. Flooring is crucial to the home's aesthetics, and is one of the first things that people see when they walk into a home. That being said, a lot of forethought and consideration is needed when making this all-important decision.