Actress & Historian Traci Law Takes on the Paranormal

Do you feel that?  That chill on your neck or a feeling something of smothering or surrounding you? A vibe of an area?

Traci Law, photo by Bob Christopher

When historian and photographer and actress Traci Law is on location filming paranormal reality show Ghost Detectives, she is aware of the history of places and the possibility of other presences.

Her feelings of a presence within a space and her sixth sense…yes it’s real and it’s there. “I can honestly say I don't actively turn a switch on or off to feel things.

I've walked into places that people swear up and down is haunted and not felt a thing; whereas I've gone into places not known to be haunted and have had to leave.
I’ve been in Gettysburg where I have felt things and even heard a sigh in the room when no one else was in the room with me,” she explains.

Traci travels a lot for filming and for her work as an actress, historian, and photographer (she’s even photographed my family and some wedding shots!) and she is all over the place. She likes to check out local places especially, and tends to pick up different vibes in different places. Scariest places she’s ever filmed…a cave with spiders! Traci doesn’t scare easily.

“I did archaeology at Eastern State Penitentiary years before it was open to the public. We were relatively alone around there and not once did I feel anything. It's still one of my favorite places with the architecture and for photography. 

At Pennhurst, I won't say there's nothing there given its history, but again, I was given permission a few years back to wander around for photography, including in the tunnels and closed buildings. I was literally by myself in these places for about twelve hours and cannot report anything paranormal,” she notes. “That said, I was far more focused on what living people might be hiding out there.  I do know a few members of Ghost Detectives were there over the summer and had something thrown at them as well as heard a few voices.  Either way, it's still a pretty creepy place.”

Plus, investigate with Traci and her team! Want to check out The Knickerbocker Hotel? Haunted Explorations Events will be hosting a ghost hunting event there on May 17^th, 2016. Here are some pictures for this weekend of this incredibly active place.

You will get to investigate side by side with Bob Christopher, Dave Juliano, Traci and more! They were here last weekend and you’ll have to watch Ghost Detectives to see what happened!

McCallan Rare Cask: Savor the Sublime

By Stephen Trimble, guest whiskey blogger

Anyone who appreciates a good single-malt scotch knows that McCallan is among the best. Usually, the distillery offers a 12-year-old, an 18-year-old, and a 25-year-old vintage at varying price points, each of which will knock your socks off.

But now, McCallan has come up with something that will knock your socks off, help you put on a fresh pair, and knock ‘em off again.

It’s called McCallan Rare Cask, and it beggars description. We recently had the good fortune to receive a sample of this wondrous nectar, and it is indeed something special.

According to McCallan, they make the stuff by taking samples from the top 1% of casks in the distillery—as chosen by McCallan’s master taster—and bottling it as a single vintage. They use their best sherry-seasoned oak casks for the beverage, and the care and quality definitely shines through.

The whiskey’s nose is rich and bold without being overpowering, and your mouth will begin watering as you anticipate your first taste of the stuff. The first impression upon drinking is a dry, fruity, and altogether rich and smoky taste. The whiskey’s sweetness is next, tantalizing your tastebuds, and the finish is all of that fantastic sherry-seasoned oak sliding down your throat to warm your belly.

I found Rare Cask to be complex yet accessible; any novice scotch drinker (with $300 to spend on a bottle; worth every penny) should have no problem enjoying this rich, rare whiskey. Don’t let any novice put an ice cube in it, though! This type of sublime whiskey should only be enjoyed neat, in the finest crystal glass you’ve got, sipped and savored leisurely and without rush.

My preference for pairings with exquisite single-malt scotch is simple: None at all! Or, if I’m in the right mood, perhaps a good cigar. But with scotch this good, I’d wait until Cubans are legal again. Nothing else could possibly stand up to the potency and richness of this truly rare and excellent vintage.

Stephen Trimble is a freelance writer—with a taste for fine whiskey—in the Philadelphia area. 

It's National Chocolate Day!!!

National Chocolate Day! 

FUN CHOCOLATE FACTS:

-          The scientific name for the tree that chocolate comes from, Theobroma cacao, means “Food of the Gods.”  

-          Chocolate has over 600 flavor compounds, while red wine has just 200.

-          Dark chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet.

-          The smell of chocolate triggers theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation.

-          The name GODIVA comes from the famous story of Lady Godiva, who rode a horse naked through the streets as part of an agreement to lift taxation from her fellow

townspeople in 11^th Century Coventry, England. The townspeople were grateful for Lady Godiva’s generosity, and in turn, agreed to close their shutters to preserve Lady Godiva’s modesty.

-          In 1926, when GODIVA founder Joseph Draps opened his first GODIVA Chocolatier shop in Brussels, Belgium, Godiva became the chocolatier of choice in Belgium and the talk of the chocolate world.

THE CHOCOLATE LOVER’S GUIDE TO CELEBRATING NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY

For the adventurous chocolate lover:

• GODIVA’S Mousse Meringues
• Airy, cloud-like meringue pieces are nestled within a smooth and sumptuous mousse, which is enveloped in GODIVA’s signature dark, milk or white Belgian chocolate. The six delectable mousse flavors include chocolate, hazelnut praline, strawberry, mandarin almond, lemon, and coffee.

For the reticent chocolate lover:

• GODIVA’S Sables Biscuits
• Delicate in appearance but strong in flavor, the Sables Biscuits strike the perfect balance between wonderfully sophisticated and wickedly indulgent. Dipped in premium Belgian chocolate, the irresistible pieces have an indulgent, crunchy texture that will delight with every bite.

For the chocolate fanatic:

• GODIVA 70 pc. Gold Ballotin-Classic
• Inside is an irresistible assortment of delicious reasons to indulge including a variety of milk, dark and white chocolates with classic Belgian fillings such as silky ganaches, creamy pralines, rich caramels, fruits and nuts.

And don’t forget to check out GODIVA’s Instagram for beautiful imagery of their delicious chocolate offerings.

Engchik's Favorite Fall Flavors

Shake up the Pumpkin!

Have you tried Godiva’s Pumpkin Trufflelata yet? NO!? This delicious creation is a seasonal spin on the Trufflelata shake. Created with the Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffle -pumpkin spice and cheesecake ganache in a milk chocolate shell- and topped with fresh whipped cream and ground cinnamon, it’s an indulgent treat that fits the autumn season! Seriously try this at your area Godiva’s chocolatier! The Philadelphia location is at 1625 Chestnut Street.

I Heart Jam! 

Chai Heart Pumpkin Jam from the Jam Stand- creamy, pumpkin, and spicy- this jam has it all.
Flavorful with the tastes of autumn, this jam is perfect on toast, ice cream and more.
Find this jam and other greats by the Jam Stand at your local natural foods store. I love it with my rye toast and an omelette.

Get wicked with your wine!
Wicked Wine: the most festive, and dark Halloween wine, created in limited edition by the “Godfather of Zin” and founding Ravenswood Winemaker, Joel Peterson.
On-trend for Halloween parties thanks to its dark and ominous artwork, BESIEGED’s chilling label (a nod to Ravenswood’s first harvest, when a circling flock of ravens taunted Joel from overhead) belies the bottle’s rich, warm contents.
This wine is a unique blend of Petite Sirah, Carignane and Zinfandel grapes with notes of blackberry, black cherry, and plum spiced with cardamom.

What do you love for Fall?

*Some items have been provided for review purposes. Thank you.

Pantry Challenge - Week 2

The Serious Pantry Challenge – Part 2

Saturday October 17- Yay! My honeypie and I have been married 6 months. It’s pretty awesome. Marriage is awesome and we are having fun. The house isn’t neat, but who cares? Priorities!

BOO!

I got up at 7:30a,, walked the dog a mile, Steve and I went to the farmer’s market and got some goodies: fresh cider, mushrooms, and fresh pork for dinner that weekend.  Home…and crashed out into naps. Didn’t get far in doing much on my to-do list. Played scrabble with my 89 and a half year old Grandmom, Steve and I brought her pizza and we had a great time!  I had been doing good avoiding the Diet Coke…until now.. Sunday I had slept like 10 hours. The sleep debt is real, people!

Steve woke me up to get going w the girls, as Sam and Jill and had a full day in Philly planned. And we had the BEST day! Shopping in Reading Terminal Market buying spices, bread, coffee, produce, and other goodies. We had a lovely lunch! Then we went off to the Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia to attend the exhibit of Down the Rabbit Hole where the original Alice in Wonderland manuscript was displayed, along with a ton of amazing books and artifacts.

Monday October 19- While I am happily chowing on my beloved Noosa yoghurt, I decided to look at the calories. 230, and 11 grams of fat.  ELEVEN! Does yogurt typically have this much fat? I added cinnamon, flaxseed and nutmeg, but it’s still a pretty high breakfast counter. I’m not going to stop eating it, but not every day for breakfast. 

Lunch was Thai leftover- serious yum.  Dinner- somehow I was starvvvving again, and I stopped off to Wendy’s to get a hamburger and fries (no Diet Coke tho!) and no Frosty. Im trying to cut down some of my vices here. Ate then went off to teach my class.

Tuesday October 20- Breakfast was a Perfect Bar- organic honey, almonds, peanut butter and fruit. YUM! High in calories (310, 11 grams of fat) but kept me full for 5 hours. Apple, clementine, water, coffee...

Lunch- didn’t eat lunch, had tea.
Dinner- snack at 4:30-a couple perogies, crackers and salmon spread, plus (at 8pm) 2 Bud Light Limes and half a quesadilla with my friend AB at a Mexican cantina. Good times! Home to bed and crashed OUT!

Wednesday October 21- still watching the spending! Another Perfect Bar for breakfast- the Peanut Butter is delicious! Ate my apple and tangerine.

Lunch- a splurged and got a quesadillas from the café. It’s great, and the other half will be lunch tomorrow (spend $9 on that and iced tea).

Dinner- Steve and I had lasagna at his cousin’s house. She made a delicious dinner and desert and we had a great time hanging out. And I passed out at 9:45.

Thursday October 22 – I made squash and pumpkin soup last night in my cast iron pot. Steve and I went to dinner…and I discovered it this morning. It was probably hot until midnight, and I was boxing it up at 5:15. I think it’s ok, testing a half a cup for breakfast. I’m ok, whew. Had another Perfect Bar for breakfast- full peanut butter flavor. Good, but I was starving again in 2 hours. I think that’s just me today. SO I ate my last piece of quesadilla. Im still a bit nervous to eat my soup, but I have brown rice to mix in with it. That will be the bulk of my lunch. I had a piece of prickly pear, which I have never had before, plus a kiwi.

Coffee, water.
Lunch- just a yogurt.
Dinner….

Okay, I am jumping ahead here, as it is Friday morning. I just got up…and I feel terrible. Instead of telling you how I did this week, which you can read below, I’m starting with the end of the week. It’s 6:00am and I feel awful.

Last night I had Wendy’s for dinner, 8 chicken nuggets, fries, a small hamburger and water. I got my hair done, and then picked up some Halloween candy to give out. Then I promptly ate about ½ of KitKats and a few Peppermint Patties, and then went to bed. I passed out (sugar crash maybe?).

I awoke this morning feeling terrible. I feel hungover. I’m puffy, my stomach hurts, my head hurts, and I’m feeling stiff. My body is screaming out in protest to all the salt, sugar, and fat, and let me tell you, I’m listening. No more!

I also noticed here how I have been skipping lunch, so when i get home, I'm starving and grab something. Not smart. Even if I eat a yogurt, it's something.

I’ve been fairly good lately, losing some weight and making better choices. Last night I made awful choices. I didn’t even realize how I had been feeling better with no Diet Coke, less sugar, and less fat. More veggies and lean protein have been helping a lot. I’m sluggish and icky. Later on I’m getting an omelet and drinking lots of water.

And that’s it for today! Stay strong y’all!

Me and my girls at the market!

The Serious Pantry Challenge - Part 1

We are now in the middle of the month! October 15! For some reason it sounds very important! 

I’m thirty-something and 3 months and also October 17 is a mini-anniversary of sorts- my Trimble and I have been married 6 months No doubt we will celebrate with cupcakes and naptime. Actually we’ll prob head to the farmers’ market.

To keep a check on myself, I do lots of mini-goals all month (all year!) long. 

This month I aimed for one more beach trip (Done!), pay down debt (um, getting there!), surviving the first-ever Pottstown Brewfest (of which I was PR & Marketing Chair, DONE! And avoided hurricane Joaquin and the Nor’easter!).

I also want to banish clutter (reading the Japanese Art of Tidying Up and it is making a difference) and use up what’s in my pantry. I do the pantry challenge every couple months but after reading a Refinery 29 article, I was inspired to try my version of the Serious Pantry Challenge! I say that I’m trying to cut out sugar and diet coke, too, but the above reference to cupcakes makes me look…well…ok, ok, I’ll try to have just one cupcake.

I can still go food shopping if I need too, but I am primarily working thru what we have in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

Monday October 12- I had made WW banana bread over the weekend, and we had a potluck lunch on Monday at work, so I able to crock-pot some beans and mini-wienies and enjoy others’ homemade goodies. 

I didn’t eat dinner til I came home after teaching my social media and PR night class Sell That Sizzle© where my awesome husband made me a grilled cheese and I passed out in a happy stupor. (and no Diet Coke).

Tuesday October 13- 7:00am- I ate the rest of my banana bread plus a yogurt I had in the fridge at work for breakfast, and apple. I’m really trying to eat more fruits and vegs. Lunch I did go to the café in my building, but for the first time ever I skipped Taco Tuesday and got two slices of grilled chicken, slices of tomatoes and cucumbers, strawberries, a couple walnuts, and two small pieces of naan.
This good amount of protein kept me sustained til dinner, where I cooked up some rice with cheese and cracker and a banana. Steve had leftover ravioli, and then off we went to our CSA, where we got eggplants, turnips, tomatoes, kale, spinach, and beets. (and no Diet Coke).

Wednesday October 14- Breakfast was a smoothie I made at work. I had some frozen fruit in the freezer, plus I brought some strawberries and kale from home. I added protein powder, turmeric, flax, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon and bee pollen to the berries and green, and added some ice cubes from the lovely work ice machine. I got a small smoothie blender off groupon last year and I keep it here. My smoothie was grand!

oye! Lunchtime! It’s 1:00pm and I’m hungry!
Last night I quick threw together some frozen shrimp and green Giant veggies in a skillet and warmed them up, then packed for lunch today in my awesome Pyrex Halloween-batty glass bowl. I also grabbed my serious staple- Minute Rice Brown Rice Cups.

I cannot survive without these. Full of fiber and taste, I love to mix these into my protein. 

Today I had the brown and wild rice cup. And now I’m full and a bit sleepy as I write this and watch it cloud over outside. OK! Lunch Break over.

Later grabbed some ground beef at Target (plus some Noosa yoghurt and brown rice) and made nachos with a can of cheese sauce I had, tomatoes, and Trader Joe’s salsa with tortilla chips. Tasty but acid reflux-inducing as I found out, at 1am. And the cat kept knocking stuff over…

Thursday October 15- 5am. I’m up thanks to a neighbor’s batty girlfriend screaming at him at 4:30am and my creamsicle cat waking me. It’s usually completely silent here. Off to the gym I go…
Breakfast: Coffee with a dab of virgin coconut oil in the car, then after the gym I had Noosa pumpkin yoghurt. In a bit I’ll prob have my Belvita, apple and banana, around lunchtime. Lots of water and Belvita at 10:30am.

Lunch- steel cut oats I made last night in my little mason jar w walnuts and cranberries and a dash of milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey.

Dinner- a had a bit of leftover tacos and then went to book club with my girls, where our awesome host Cathy served butternut squash soup, veggies, and BBQ crockpot chicken. It was awesome. Plus apple crumb for dessert. I love these ladies! I host next month! A lot to live up too!
(not Diet Coke!)

Friday October 16- Up and at them! I slept great because I put the cat into the office and put the dog in one of the bedrooms. We all slept wonderfully!
Breakfast- oatmeal with a banana, cinnamon, honey and nutmeg, and coffee. Got into work nice and early, as always I want to get a jump on my weekend! Friday is usually omelet day, where I’ll splurge on a café breakfast, but not today.
Lunch- ack too busy!

Dinner- well, I have successfully gone the entire week with getting takeout or running to the café, and probably saved around $40. Which is great, because tonight I’m celebrating my best friend’s birthday by going to a movie and getting sushi. We noshed on popcorn, and boneless wine and fries (that was me because I didn’t eat lunch on Friday.) 

Plus sushi and clear mushroom soup a few hours later, shopping for Halloween costumes and HomeGoods. and no diet coke! 

To summarize...no Diet coke, no cafe lunches, no fast food or take out, Trimble and I did pretty well this week!

How did the weekend go...stay tuned!

Saturday- oh hello weekend!

More in the next post! Hope you have a great week!

The Walking Dead New Season Debuts Sunday 10/11; Walker Stalker Con Thrills in Philly

The Walking Dead is BACK for its sixth season starting this Sunday October 11 on AMC, and we are so excited!!

What's going to happen to the group?
Is Rick going to settle down or get more dangerous?
What does Morgan have to say about Rick's transformation?
Is Carol going to make more cookies?
Which fave character might get killed off...even in the 90 minute premiere on Sunday..!?
And just how sexy can Daryl get, anyhow?

I recently had the opportunity to meet some of the cast at Philly's Walker Stalker Con at the Greater

Philly Expo Center in Oaks, and these people could not have been cooler! 

The Con was a great experience for all zombie lovers, as it was on a smaller scale and was more focused towards The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. It gave attendees an opportunity to get close to the casts, attend panels, ask questions, meet their favorite actors and immerse themselves in the zombie culture.

They all said they are looking forward to the new season, and know the audience is going to be in for even more twists and turns as the group from Atlanta fights to survive in the zombie Apocalypse.

Lennie James was an absolute pleasure. An accomplished actor, working on the Walking Dead is a new realm that gives his considerable acting chops a stretch. Coming from the series Jericho and the Low Winter Sun, Lennie immerses himself into the role of Morgan, a man who lost his family and veered almost off the rains, to step back into Rick's life to hopefully save him once again. He told me to get ready for season 6..we are going to see a new level...

It was so great to meet Melissa Ponzio! Her character as level-headed Karen who fell in love with Tyreese was wonderful to watch- ahh finally love among the corpses.

Until she became one, of course, burning to a crisp! Karen still rocks it on Teen Wolf and Chicago Fire. She said working with the cast on TWD was fantastic and she had a great time!

Pictures by Samara Messer. 

Kyla Kenedy aka Mika.

The very cool Andrew aka sadistic Gareth

Oh no they got us!

The supercool Lawrence Gilliard, Jr aka BOB! with his foot!

Donnerstag Happy Hour Kicks Off KoP Beerfest Royale

Did you know that Donnerstag means Thursday? And what a great Thursday it was to kick off King of Prussia Beerfest Royale with the Donnerstag Happy Hour on October 1! Despite the Nor’easter winging its way up the coast and into KoP, hundreds attended this sold-out event behind the mall under the big tents to eat and drink in style.

Many local food vendors were in attendance, Maggiano’s, Bahama Breeze, Wegman’s, Bonefish Grill, The Capital Grille, Morton’s, California Pizza Kitchen, and Sullivan’s.

Delicious wine and spirits came from Manatawny Still Works and Chaddsford Winery. Many local breweries were pouring all night, including Troegs, Two Roads, Sly Fox, Stable 12, Haymaker, Neshaminy Creek Brewing, Sir Charles Hard Cider, Crabbie’s, Evil Genius, Free Will, Conshohocken Brewing Co, Rock Bottom Brewery, Starr Hill, and many more!

Live music from Swift Technique kept the crowd pumped while sampling amazing food and craft brews. Despite the weather, everyone had a great time enjoying their complimentary cigar from John Hay Cigars, specialty cocktails and pumpkin beers, Dia Doce cupcakes from the cupcake truck, and more!

Then the night continued over all Sullivan’s for the Official Donnerstag Happy Hour After Party- which was a great time!

And don’t forget the rest of the weekend- Saturday, October 3 has two sessions for beer tasting..but sorry folks, they are sold out! (Only Saturday Session Designated Driver tickets are available at $15- includes full access to event, entertainment, free non-alcoholic beverages & snacks from Wegmans, KOP and more!)

This is the fourth year of this spectacular event, and if you don’t make it this year, come next year and you’ll see why the King of Prussia Beerfest Royale is named Best Outdoor & Best Foodie Event 2015 by Montco Happening!

Always drink responsibly!

Special thanks to Brooke Hersh and the KOP-BID team! KOP-BID uses all dollars raised at KOP Beerfest Royale for physical improvement projects throughout King of Prussia: like landscape medians and welcome signage, lighting, and more.

Photography by Diane Cooney. Contact Cooney via Twitter at https://twitter.com/cooney_writes.

October Goals!

Ahh good bye September you served me well!

I hit most of my goals:

Stayed at EXACTLY my budget, got a new writing client, took a great vacation and spent most of the month outside when I wasn’t working, swam more, said lots of prayers thanking God and the universe for what I have, and seeing family more.
We also cut a lot of clutter at our neighborhood yard sale.

Now onto October! Goals!

• Kayak one more time
• Hit up the beach one more time (NOTE, GORGEOUS DAY IN AV FOR SEAFOOD FEST ON OCTOBER 11)
• Blog every week in both blogs (note- so far so good!)
• Pay down debt of course
• Cut clutter- working on it! 

Plus I’m looking forward to events every weekend, crisp air, bright leaves, pumpkins, Halloween parties, festivals, family and friends!

HELLO OCTOBER! WE ARE READY FOR YA!

WHAT ARE YOUR OCTOBER GOALS?