Manatawny Still Works' Small Batch Rum No 3 Tiki Launch Party

Good things come in small packages, but Manatawny Still Works' Small Batch Rum—aged for a year in new American oak cooperage—exceeds the standard definition of good. 

Our Small Batch Rum is a special spirit, best enjoyed neat to experience the full range of nuanced flavors and aromas. A perfect amount of sweetness defines this molasses-based, authentic distillation of one of the world's favorite spirits. 

A tribute to one of the oldest and most important American spirits, MSW's Batch Rum is an exquisitely rare and respectable offering limited to a select number of barrels.

To kick off this amazing honor, MSW held a Small Batch Rum Tiki Party on March 26 in Pottstown.  

This Award-winning Rum is 118% proof- also called Navy- proof, crafted after Jamaican and Colonial style rums.

Rich, warm, with notes of caramelized butterscotch, molasses, apricot, almond, guava, and vanilla, this 3rd batch rum is something you want in your bar stock- so hurry only 200 bottles created!

Serve it up in a daiquiri, neat, or on the rocks!

VP of Sales and Marketing Randy McKinley gave us a great tour of the distillery and a tasting of all their spirits- 3 Bitches vodka, white whiskeys, rums, gins, and more. Fresh delicious spirits that I couldn't wait to take home to enjoy! 

The Tiki Party was great fun, with tastings, cocktail classes, steel drums, music, food by Oscar's Catering, desserts, and more drinks! 

Grapefruit Fizz

A different take on the gin fizz using grapefruit juice.

• 2 ounces of MSW Hidden River Barrel Rested Gin
• 1.5 Grapefruit Juice
• 1 ounce of Egg White
• 3 to 4 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters

DIRECTIONS:

Add all the ingredients in to a cocktail shaker, shake well and strain in to a coupe glass.

Garnish with the 3 to 4 dashes of bitters across the top of the cocktail. 

SUGGESTED PAIRINGS:
Baked duck appears as a good match - Sharing their fruity aromas, grapefruit and baked duck form a great flavor pairing.

320 Circle of Progress Drive

Suite 104

Pottstown, PA 19464

p: 484.624.8271

Tasting Room Hours

Mon - Wed (Walk-in sales only)

Thursday (5 - 9pm)

Friday (3 - 11pm)

Saturday (Noon - 11pm)

Sunday (Noon - 5pm)

Caroline Reese and the Drifting Fifth to Tour Back Home in Pennsylvania

Looking for something awesome to do this weekend- something with amazing music and talented people- look no further!

On Friday, April 1, at the The Other Farm Brewing Company Mason Porter will be playing with special guest Caroline Reese. $15 at the door, show starts at 8pm. 

128 E Philadelphia Ave, Boyertown, Pennsylvania 19512

Plus, I got to have an awesome Q&A with the talented Caroline! Caroline Reese is a songwriter from Reading, PA. 

Her music combines country, folk, and rock elements.. She has opened for Chris Stapleton, Ben Folds, Israel Nash, and John Hiatt.

Caroline and her band, the Drifting Fifth, have been featured as an emerging artist on Nashville's Music City Roots. The group’s EP “The Electric Year” was named Y102's 2014 album of the year. The band's next LP is due out later this year.

How she got into music is incremental, but she knows her talents and gift as a songwriter is where she is supposed to be. "being a songwriter feels right to me in every way - the performing, the creativity, being completely in control of my own career, booking shows and traveling," she says. 

"I am the child of two very independent people. They had me start taking music lessons, but aren't musical themselves. They always pursued their own dreams, and so later, as I got more and more serious about songwriting overtime, it felt natural to pursue my own goals. They expressed some concerns early on, but they see how happy I am when I perform and how driven I am."

"I started playing guitar around 15 because the piano wasn't portable. And genre is tricky, because I listen to a broad range of music that often doesn't include folk at all - but these are the songs that come out of me. Somewhere between country and rock and folk and Americana. 

I don't judge them too much - if I am excited about a song and the band is excited, we work on it - regardless of genre. But they seem to work well together under the Americana umbrella," Caroline explains. 

Caroline does all the songwriting, and the guys write their musical parts. "We practice until we feel that the message of the song is getting expressed in the right way - and that it feels fresh. And then we practice a lot more. Inspiration is weird! I am attracted to places and travel, and a lot of my songs have sad aspects to them. I don't tend to write when I'm super happy - it's more of a therapeutic thing for me," Caroline adds.

Caroline loves traveling and touring and being out on the road. "I love how narrowly I can focus during tours. We just drive, play, sleep. I leave my laptop at home, I can't do any other work except the task at hand. And the bonding with the band is so special to me. 

Traveling like that is definitely exhausting, and we stay at cheap gnarly hotels most of the time, but it's a very inspiring part of the songwriting work. I get very inspired by looking out of car windows into people's towns and lives.

Coming up, Caroline and the Drifting Fifth will be at Sands casino on April 9. 
Caroline will also be at the Taste of Kutztown event on June 11!

"We are schedule to perform locally right now for the most part - playing great shows like opening for Brandi Carlile at the Sands in Bethlehem April 9, playing the Wyebrook Music Festival April 30, and we have some great shows in Philly coming up. We will be traveling more and adding more shows once we finish recording our new album, sometime in the next month. That's the main focus right now," she says. 

"We'll be releasing a new album mid-2016, and releasing several singles before then. It's in a shapeshifting phase right now, but the songs are coming and sounding very cool. Pre-order information will go out on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/carolinereesemusic) and our website, www.carolinereesemusic.com when it's ready. Not for a few more months though!"

"And the best part about playing PA: I can sleep in my own bed at night! And rural PA is my favorite. I love learning about my home."

The band's music is great- it gets you in the feels (first time I've ever written that) and all songs tell a story that you want to be a part of. 

Follow this great talent on social media, and def see one of their gigs! @reeskay (Instagram) @reeskay10 (Twitter). Pictures herein courtesy of CarolineReeseMusic.com. 

Book Review: The Creative Tarot by Jessa Crispin

THE CREATIVE TAROT just went on-sale, written by JESSA CRISPIN, author and editor/founder of Bookslut.com and Spoliamag.com. For the past ten years, Crispin has been studying the art of tarot and how it can be used to assist artists’ careers.

Love reading Tarot? Are you an artist? This book brings creative types to new ways to guide and understand their unique processes.

In her new book, Crispin shares how the tarot can be used to unlock creativity, overcome blocks, and express oneself freely. The New Yorker and the Los Angeles Times recently featured THE CREATIVE TAROT!

Written for novices and seasoned readers alike, The Creative Tarot is a unique guidebook that re-imagines tarot cards and the ways they can boost the creative process. Jessa Crispin guides you through the intuitive world of the tarot to get those creative juices flowing again. 

Tarot cards are approachable and endlessly helpful to overcoming creative blocks. Crispin offers spiritual readings of the cards, practical information for the uninspired artist, and a wealth of fascinating anecdotes about famous artists and how they found inspiration.

  

Additional praise includes:

ELLE: “Playfully reinvents the arcane, Renaissance-inspired cards.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *STARRED* REVIEW: “Crispin presents a persuasive case for the tarot’s usefulness to writers and artists; her many insights into the creative life as well as her dazzlingly wide array of examples throughout make this a valuable reference for readers not remotely interested in the ‘psychic arts.’”

BOOKLIST: “Crispin offers richly metaphorical interpretations of each card…even readers with no interest in the tarot will be intrigued and delighted by Crispin’s ardently researched, spirited, creative, and inspiring elucidation.”

Purchase on Amazon here!

Recipe: NoMa Social’s Honeydew Spring Mojito

Other than making fruit salad, not many people know what do with honeydew. With a distinctly refreshing flavor, the fruit gives a delicious twist to an otherwise classic mojito created by New York’s own NoMa Social.

NoMa Social’s Honeydew Spring Mojito

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Honeydew melon (cubed)
• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• Fresh Mint
• Juice of half a Lime
• Splash of Soda Water
• 1 oz Simple Syrup

Directions:

1. Blend melon until liquefied.
2. Muddle mint leaves in shaker.
3. Add Tequila, syrup, lime juice, and honeydew puree.
4. Shake and over ice.
5. Top off the cocktail with soda water and stir gently.
6. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and enjoy!

For more information on NoMa Social, please visit their website at www.NoMaSocial.com.

Light City Baltimore - America's Largest Light Festival

Starting on Monday, March 28, from 7 – 11 p.m. (and 12 a.m. on the weekend) and running through April 3, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will become a temporary light art exhibition, a 1.5-mile light art walk with 28 illuminated artworks. Light City Baltimore will also feature 100 musical and street theater performances and 50 concerts, all free and open to the public.

The works of art range from 15-foot sculptures to projections on the sides of buildings (and even on roofs!) and explore questions of social justice, sustainability and climate change, and history. More information about the artwork, which is being installed this week, can be found here.

In tandem with Light City Baltimore, Neighborhood Lights will bring the lights beyond the Harbor, this year in five neighborhoods around the city. Each participating community is currently collaborating with a local artist on their installation, which range from visual arts to performance art. 

A companion to the evening festival is a day time series of ticketed conferences dubbed Light City U  which will explore a series of provocative topics – healthcare, sustainability, social innovation and creativity  -- from the perspective of how we create a more just society. 

They have an impressive lineup of speakers including the well-known, like Steve Case and Ray Lewis (as entrepreneur founder of an energy startup) to lesser knowns (Alec Ross and Bob Wallace)

Deviled Eggs All the Ways for Easter

Need a quick side dish for Easter?

Check out these great Deviled Eggs recipes created by NY celebrity caterer Andrea Correale, Founder & President of Elegant Affairs. Deviled eggs are a party-favorite and a go-to appetizer for any Easter host. 

Top with different combinations to treat your guests to an unexpected appetizer and a whole new take on the classic deviled egg.

Classic Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

·      6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise

·      ¼ cup Light Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing

·      ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

·      ½ teaspoon white vinegar

·      1/8 teaspoon salt

·      ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

·      Paprika for garnish

Directions:

1.     Remove the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork.

2.     Add mayonnaise, mustard powder, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

3.     Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

4.     Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

Bacon Avocado Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

·      1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled

·      2 tablespoons deli mustard

·      3 tablespoons mayo

·      1 large avocado, seeded and peeled

·      1 clove garlic, finely diced

·      1 tablespoon finely diced cilantro

·      Salt to taste

·      3 slices of cooked bacon, finely chopped

·      Paprika for garnish

Directions:

1.     Slice eggs in half lengthwise and scoop yolks into a bowl, reserving whites for later.

2.     Mash yolks and avocado with fork, stir in mustard, mayo, and spices.

3.     Pipe or scoop into saved egg white cups. Sprinkle with bacon and paprika.

Deviled Eggs with Sun-Dried Tomato

Ingredients:

·      6 hard-boiled large eggs

·      4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, reserving 2 tomatoes whole for garnish, and the remaining tomatoes minced

·      1/4 cup bottled mayonnaise

·      3 tablespoons sour cream

·      1/2 teaspoon white-wine vinegar

·      Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish if desired.

Directions:

1.     Halve the eggs lengthwise; force the yolks through a sieve into a bowl.

2.     Stir in the minced tomatoes, the mayonnaise, the sour cream, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

3.     Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch decorative tip and pipe it into the egg-white halves, mounding it.

4.     Garnish the stuffed eggs with 2 reserved sun-dried tomatoes, cut into julienne strips, and the parsley.

Lemon Dill Chicken Salad Stuffed Eggs

Ingredients:

·      1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled

·      2 1/4 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts

·      1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

·      1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·      1 cup mayonnaise

·      2 green onions, finely chopped

·      1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

·      1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

·      2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.     Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

2.     Grill, covered with grill lid, over high heat (400° to 500°) 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 15 minutes; cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

3.     Slice hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise; carefully remove yolks, keeping egg white halves intact.

4.     Reserve yolks for another use.

5.     Stir together mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl.

6.     Pulse cooled chicken, in batches, in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until shredded; stir into mayonnaise mixture until blended.

7.     Spoon chicken mixture evenly into egg white halves. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Deviled Eggs with Crème Fraiche and Caviar

Ingredients:

·      4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

·      2 tablespoons crème Fraiche

·      1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·      1 tablespoon finely sliced chives, plus 2 chives for garnish

·      Kosher salt

·      Freshly ground black pepper

·      Cayenne pepper

·      2 tablespoons Ossetra caviar

Directions:

1.     Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks, reserving whites on a serving platter.

2.     Place still-warm yolks in a small bowl, and mash with a fork.

3.     Add crème Fraiche, mustard and finely sliced chives, and continue mashing until very smooth.

4.     Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cut remaining chives into pieces 1/2 inch long.

5.     Pipe or scoop mix into saved egg white cups, fill it completely and make a small walnut-size mound above the white

6.     Before serving, spoon a little caviar on top of each egg and garnish with pieces of sliced chive.

Photos and recipes with special thanks to Andrea Correale and thanks to Lauren Stiffelman.

How to Knock Out Sugar for National Nutrition Month!

Type “sugar” and “culprit” into your favorite search engine and you’ll find no shortage of health reasons to knock sugar out of your diet.

For example, three authors argue in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that, despite ample exercise, too much sugar consumption can still leave you fat. That’s in addition to new studies published earlier this year that indicate too much sugar triggers brain defects, liver disease and breast cancer.

“The toxicity of excessive sugar consumption is well-documented, yet it’s so prevalent in our packaged foods that we may be digesting it without knowing it,” says nutritionist and juicing pioneer Cherie Calbom, who is known as “The Juice Lady.”

But with vigilance you can ditch the sugar in your diet, says Calbom, who tackles the subject in her newest book, “The Juice Lady’s Sugar Knockout,” and she offers her Sugar Addiction Quiz at  She says March, which is National Nutrition Month, is the perfect time to start.

Cherie Calbom says Jump Into Juicing & Knock Out Sugar

A few ways to begin include:

• Pick the right day to start. A birthday or celebration dinner is not the best time to commit to a new diet. You’ll eventually develop the willpower to navigate through special events, but it’s not a good idea to start with an unusual challenge.

• Go cold turkey. Studies show sugar is as addictive as cocaine and heroin, so it’s not something you can ease into or pursue in half measures. If you eat a little less to gradually eliminate it from your diet, you’ll keep getting triggered into wanting more sweets. You have to completely let it go.

• Scrutinize every label. We are naturally inclined to crave sugar, which is why manufacturers try to smuggle it into their products. The only way to root out sugar in all its forms – soups, condiments, breads, etc. – is to read grocery labels carefully. The sooner sugar is mentioned, the more that’s in there.

• Make emergency snack packs. Whether shopping, traveling or at work, you don’t want to be caught hungry without a healthy option. Plummeting blood-sugar levels will make it that much harder to resist sugar-laden treats. Nuts and seeds, veggie sticks, turkey jerky and apples are among the healthy options.

• Take time to de-stress. Stress causes spikes in cortisol, a hormone that makes you irrationally hungry, leaving you susceptible to sugar-laden snacks. When stressed, take a long, deep breath in for five seconds, hold, and then let it out to a count of five. Deep breathing is said to activate your vagus nerve, which properly regulates metabolism.

“There is much more you can do to break sugar addiction,” Calbom says. “It’s very doable, but you must commit to it!”

About Cherie Calbom, MSN (a.k.a. The Juice Lady)

Cherie Calbom holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. 

Known as “The Juice Lady” (www.juiceladycherie.com) for her work with juicing and health, she is author of 31 books, with millions of copies sold worldwide. The latest book, Sugar Knockout, is available in most places. 

No stranger to healthy diet trends, Cherie joined George Foreman as nutritional spokesperson in the Knockout the Fat phenomena that forever changed grilling in America.

TEA GIVEAWAY!

How much do you love tea? 

Is tea not a tea unless it's in a leaf form?

Do you know what a tisane is?

How about winning a ton o tea!?

Leave a comment below on your favorite way to serve & drink tea!

Romance & Relaxation is on Offer Year-Round at Stone Harbor's The Reeds at Shelter Haven

Romance is always in the air at the beach, the salt air, the call of the ocean, and it doesn't have to be summer! My husband and I recently spent the weekend at a suite at The Reeds at Shelter Haven in Stone Harbor, New Jersey during the first really nice weekend and enjoyed ourselves- a walk on the beach, dinner out, a stroll around town, and none of it was a great as relaxing in our room.

The concierge and staff of this fabulous boutique hotel make everything even more luxurious. Our room, the Sienna Suite over looked the bay with a great balcony.

We took a walk on the beach and then settled in, relaxing, reading, sipping coffee from our deluxe kitchen on a sofa and comfy chairs. That's not to say champagne didn't make an appearance!

Later, we headed downstairs to Sax for dinner, where we had such a great time- cheese grits, octopus and finger potato, short ribs with potato mash, buffalo shrimp, oh it was delightful. Add in a few excellent pear martinis and we were quite happy.


The dining room at Sax, along with the service and menu- are always an amazing experience in fine dining, excellent coastal cuisine, and fresh desserts.

The fireplace was perfect- very nice when it got a bit chilly after dinner, where we cuddled up in a glorious king size bed and drifted off to sleep.

The morning dawned bright and sunny and we ordered room service for breakfast.

Our suite has a huge dining room table, perfect for sipping coffee and enjoying the view of the bay.

After breakfast we strolled up and down 96th street as shoppes were opening, then went back to meet friends for lunch at bar and enjoyed soups, flatbreads, and another pear martini.

All too soon it was time to head back to PA, but we will be back soon!

Don't miss Easter Brunch at Sax! March 27 in the Sweet Grass Ballroom 10am-2pm.

Movie Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane

The movie opens in the South, and Michelle (scream queen Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is making a radical life change, where the possibilities are as open as the road. That is, until she wakes up in an underground bunker, chained to a wall, with cuts and bruises and a leg injury. 

Doomsday survivalist Howard (the always great John Goodman) has told her she was in a car accident, he has saved her, and she ought to try being a bit more grateful. His candor is chilling and Goodman's Howard is matter-of-fact.

He also told her there was a chemical attack, everyone is dead, and she should just stay put. With him. In this bunker. And get used to it until the air clears. For a few years. It's claustrophobic and you will be breathing jerkily along with Michelle. Settle in. You're stuck underground, so please try to cohabitate peacefully. 

Michelle is astounded to find another man in the bunker with her, Emmet (John Gallagher, Jr) a man who actually helped Howard build the bunker, fought to get in, and quite sure there is an attack of some sort from somewhere. Aliens? Terrorists? The subways monsters from Cloverfield?

I guess they all had just better get along? This movie was as terrifying for the watcher as it was for Michelle. It’s loud. Things make her (and us jump) or, it’s deathly silent. Wait, is that a car we hear? No? Yes? But it's such a cozy family! It's tense. Winstead's character gives the impression of being unsure of her existence, attempting to make a stand for herself in this world but not always succeeding. 

What is going on?! She doesn’t want to become complacent (as Howard tells her she had better learn how to and love to cook) and settle into life underground, because was there an attack outside?  She feels perhaps escape is the best option, and of course, Howard keeps the keys to the outside bunker door firmly attached to his person at all times.

Gallagher's Emmet is a breath of fresh (recycled and filtrated) air as he candidly explains the world around him and the world he came from with candor and an easy-going attitude. Until things get not-so-easygoing.

10 Cloverfield Lane is not the sequel. So much to discover...

The suspense is terrifying, and it will horrify you. Plot twists and turns will keep you as confused as Michelle is. With the excellent directorial debut of Dan Trachtenberg, comes the way of many monsters in many forms. The film was written by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stucken, and Damien Chazelle, and opened March 11, 2016. Bradley Cooper is even in here somewhere.

10 Cloverfield Lane is produced by J.J. Abrams and he knows what you want this to be, and how you think this movie will play out.

You have no idea. 

Crazy Cuizine Serves Up Warm Quality Family Dinners and Fun Friendly Get-Togethers!

I had an impromptu party this weekend, where people were arriving at my house just as I was! There was no time for the well-planned dinner I had, thought out, so I turned to the freezer and asked my friends if they liked sriracha. In the freezer was some goodies...

The answer was a resounding YES! I pan-fried Crazy Cuizine’s Sriracha Chicken Potstickers and warmed up the dipping sauce, plus baked up the Honey Sriracha Chicken Bites in the oven.

The result:  instant success! I was serving 4 people, and we all had more than enough delicious chicken pot stickers and chicken bites! (plus leftovers that my friends took home to nosh on!)

The pot stickers has the signature sriracha flavor baked right into them, so when we began eating, we all were amazing at the flavor and texture of typical pot stickers yet with that familiar spicy flavor.

At Day-Lee Foods they are crazy about good food.  They have been making their products in the U.S. for over 30 years. Their mission is to provide consumers with the highest quality, best tasting entrees, side dishes, and appetizers that they can at a reasonable value.

Their goal is to bring the “Joy of Eating” to individuals and families every day. Bigger meat pieces, less breading, less sauce, and quality chicken are what add value to these products.  

I like these best because they didn't feel like fast food, they felt like a good meal in a handy quick package. I shall try them next over a salad, or with soup.

Try these products, I assure you, you will enjoy their tasty flavors and delicious products!

PHS Presents the Philadelphia Flower Show 2016: Explore America!

Photos by Rachel Richards

This year's theme at the Philadelphia Flower Show is Nationals Parks and it is truly breathtaking! From North to South, East to West, Cape Cod to Valley Forge, Shenandoah to Yellowstone, iconic parks and historic sites are inspiration for exhibits created by the nation’s premier floral and garden designers.

The exhibitors have outdone themselves! Yellowstone, Valley Forge, Muir Woods and more have towering, soaring redwoods, wildflowers, natural springs, lighthouses, and more!

These exhibits are majestic, awe-inspiring and gorgeous. Explore, climb, hike, ford, marvel and simply take in the Flower Show’s acres of trails, exhibits and attractions, guests will discover the range of horticulture in the national landscape, including the fields of wildflowers, desert blooms, coastal flora, verdant meadows, fragrant pinelands, and ancient redwoods.

The Flower Show will also share the amazing, diverse stories that forged the United States with exhibits inspired by the nation’s monuments and places where history happened.

“The National Park Service and PHS share a commitment to introduce new generations to the beauty of nature, to be good stewards of our environment, to honor the contributions of individuals to our history, and to build vibrant communities,” said Cynthia MacLeod, Superintendent of Independence National Historical Park. “The 2016 Flower Show will be a fun and glorious event and a highlight of the NPS’s Centennial Year.”

The Flower Show also invites attendees to meet garden and design experts and take away innovative ideas for outdoor spaces inspired by diverse American regions, historic home decorating concepts, current gardening and decorating trends, and other creative tips they can bring to their own home and garden.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation's largest and longest-running horticultural event, and features stunning displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers.

Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the show introduces the newest plant varieties, garden and design concepts, and organic and sustainable practices. 

In addition to the major garden displays, the Flower Show hosts world-renowned competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging, gardening presentations and demonstrations, special events, a mammoth indoor Marketplace, and Bloom Philly Festival, a citywide celebration.

We met with floral expert designer Debi Lilly who designs for Albertson's and Acme, she's created gorgeous, colorful collections of chop & drops bouquets in fabulous new hexagonal pantone colored vases. Debi Lilly design brings gorgeous to the grocery. "We try to make entertaining easy for anybody. From flower arrangements to candles to meaningful gifts. Clustering is the new design trend so flowers are sold with all you need to pick out just what appeals to you!" she explains. "With the Philly flower show being the gold standard, and it being my first time, I am excited to just be around such great inspirational talent as well as such fresh, unique ideas."

The products Debi has helped design and available in Acme stores do double duty- candle holders as vases and vice versa, and half the price of typical boutique shoppes! "I've been working with Safeway/ACME 6 years now, it is safe to say this is a partnership I am proud of. I even have an exclusive collection that I personally helped put together."

Debi Lilly is currently launching a bath and body lotions line with Eucalyptus Mint! She's excited to see the Designer escapes/table tops. Stylish tables are so interesting to me! she says, plus the demos and bringing national parks to life in such unique interpretations.

Photos by Rachel Richards PHS Flower Show 2016 ©

The Premier Sponsor of the 2016 Flower Show is Subaru, and the Exclusive Sponsor is Bank of America. Official Sponsors are AAA, Acme, Bartlett Tree Experts,  Belgard, Green Mountain Energy, and Tourism Ireland. Supporting sponsors are Amtrak and SugarHouse Casino. 

Contributing sponsors are AARP, Cruise Planners, Espoma, LeafFilter, Mid-Atlantic Waterproofing, Stash Tea, Stella Artois, and Verizon FiOS.

The Philadelphia Flower Show has been honored as the best event in the world by the International Festivals & Events Association.

Proceeds from the Flower Show benefit the year-round programs of PHS that have become national models of urban greening, including City Harvest, which creates green jobs and supports a network of community gardens that raise fresh produce for families in need; Philadelphia LandCare, which has transformed and maintains more than 11 million square feet of vacant land in the city; and Plant One Million, a tri-state campaign to restore the region’s tree canopy. 

Photos by engchik Christine Tarlecki © 2016 PHS Flower Show

                                 
You've got this whole week to go, the weather is great in Philly- so GO to the FLOWER SHOW!

Dates: til Sunday March 13, 2016

Show Hours

Mon. - Fri., March 7-11  10:00 am - 9:00 pm

Saturday, March 12         8:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sunday, March 13            8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Pennsylvania Convention Center

12th & Arch Streets

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Flower show map via PHS http://theflowershow.com/about/flower-show-map

The Box of Philly Brings Home Closer with Wawa, Tastykakes, Herr's and more!

For your Philly friends who’ve since moved away from the Delaware Valley, why not send them a subscription to a monthly Box of Philly?

It’s a fun collection of tasty locally produced treats and nostalgic trinkets from right here in Philly, sure to put a smile on the face of any Philadelphia expatriate.

Recently, owner Pete included for us Herr’s Potato Chips, a box of Tastykake Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes (or as I like to call them, Tandy Kakes), a whole bag of Goldberg Peanut Chews (the original dark chocolate version—yum!), locally-made chocolate covered pretzels from Shane’s Confectionary, and Reading Terminal Market Sweet as Fudge chocolate-covered peanuts.

Plus, add some premium items for a tiny fee- Philly Phanatic Fathead decal, Wawa ground coffee, chocolate covered PB sandwich (why didn’t I try this!?)

The best part of these boxes is that it's a little taste of home for those near and far! Many of these items you cannot get at whatever state you live in's convenience store- its certainly no Wawa!

To get your own Box of Philly subscription for yourself or a friend, visit http://www.theboxofphilly.com/ Boxes come in 3-item, 5-item or 10-item sizes for $25, $35 or $60, respectively. Totally worth it!

Hello March! Bye February! New Goals and Accomplishments!

March Goals! Wow! How is it that it's March?

I did about half my goals for Feb. Steve and I went away for his birthday and stayed at the glorious Reeds in Stone Harbor,

I threw him a great surprise party for his birthday with all our friends and family, we spent lots of time with family and friends, celebrated my mom's 70th birthday, went out more, and hugged more.

I have blogged a good amount. The house is clean and organized, and I have about 5 Goodwill bags to drop off. I got to the gym more and cooked a bit more. Still went over budget!

So...
March Goals!

• Gym 2x a week.
• Pay off CC.
• Lunch in cafe just 3x a week.
• Cook fresh meals 3x a week.
• Play scrabble with Mimi.
• Start bike riding again.
• Concentrate on true friends and those who reach out as much as I do. 
• Teach my social media boot camp class.
• March Trip: Mutter Museum in Philly. 

What are your March goals?