NYC Real Life Gingerbread Village
You might have making a gingerbread house apart of your annual holiday tradition, but have you ever wanted to stand next to a real life one?
This winter in NYC, you’ll have your chance. Starting December 6th and going all the way to December 18th, Madison Square Park in NYC will be home to a real life gingerbread village! You’ll feel like you are in a real life scene from Hansel and Gretel as you wander through this village.
These life size gingerbread houses are built with ginger “bricks”, a “frosting-covered” roof, and lots of peppermint sticks and gum drops! This village gets even better because you’ll be able to actually go inside these gingerbread houses. These houses are completely virtual and are filled with interactive elements including ways to build a marshmallow snowman and decorate a Christmas tree. And rumor has it, there will be plenty of treats from this year’s sponsors, which is Folgers.
This is one sweet spot that you don’t want to miss out on.
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Hairspray LIVE!
The beloved musical Hairspray is coming to a television near you! That’s right, NBC is assembling an all-star team of Broadway’s finest and most talented creatives for its upcoming production of “Hairspray Live!”. This telecast will air Wednesday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m. The cast has been announced and definitely won’t disappoint. The Hairspray Live cast includes Derek Hough as Corny Collins; Ariana Grande as Penny; newcomer Maddie Baillio as Tracy; Tony winner Harvey Fierstein as Edna; Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle; Martin Short as Wilbur; Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle; Dove Cameron as Amber; and Garrett Clayton as Link.
“In keeping with our desire to bring the best of Broadway to our live musicals, we’ve assembled the Broadway dream team of Tony Award winners for ‘Hairspray Live!,'” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to have director Kenny Leon, who knocked ‘The Wiz Live!’ way out of the park, and Jerry Mitchell, the original choreographer of ‘Hairspray,’ who is the director of two smash hit musicals running on Broadway right now.”
During the latest production panel, some further details were revealed. This includes that two of the original songs written for the musical movie version of Hairspray will be in the live production. It was also revealed that unlike previous NBC productions, the action will move outside of the soundstage when the scene calls for the characters to go outdoors. There are several other surprises that you will have to find out on December 7th, this is a production that you won’t want to miss.
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Winterizing Your Vehicle
Winter is almost here, and it’s time to endure the cold, snowy weather that New York brings. Before we know it, we will be digging our cars out of the snow. That’s why it is important to get a head start today on winterizing your car.
Taking these steps to prepare your car will ensure a safe winter for all.
- Get an oil change. If you are approaching the time for an oil change, do not procrastinate. Get it done now. Make sure your oil’s viscosity is right. Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder. If it is too thick it won’t do the best job of keeping your engine lubricated.
- Make sure you can see. Be sure to replace your old wiper blades with fresh new ones. Along with changing your blades, be sure to refill your windshield washer fluid and make sure that the defrost setting in your car is working properly.
- Give your battery a little TLC. Check your battery and make sure there is no corrosion and that it can hold a charge. You don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery in the dead of winter.
- Check your tire pressure. Make sure your tires are properly inflated to ensure you will have the best traction.
- If you have a four wheel drive, be sure to check that your system is working properly. Especially if you do not use your four wheel drive during the summer months.
- Last but not least, be sure to prepare an emergency kit. Store supplies in your trunk in case you are ever stuck. Emergency items such as:
- Blankets
- Extra boots and gloves
- Ice scraper
- Small shovel
- Flashlight
- Flares
- Tool kit
- First aid kit
- Paper towels
- Canned food
- Bottled water
Travel safely this winter and don’t get caught in the cold!
National America Recycles Day 2016
November 15th is National America Recycles Day. Today is a day dedicated to encourage Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. The America Recycles movement was started in 1997 and since then has helped people everywhere learn the importance of recycling. In honor of today, here are some helpful tips to follow when going green and helping the environment.
Save energy to save money:
- Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
- Unplug appliances when you are not using them. Even if they are plugged in and not in use, energy is still being drawn to them.
Save water to save money:
- Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will also lower your water and heating bills.
- Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. 85% of energy used to machine wash clothes goes to heating your water.
Less Gas = more money:
- If you are traveling a short distance, consider walking or riding your bike instead of driving. Not only will this help the environment but it is better for your health also.
Recycle all plastic/glass bottles and papers:
- It may be a pain but be sure to recycle all of your used bottles and newspapers. Set up a separate recycle can outside by your garbage pails to help make sorting your trash easier.
Help make the earth a better place to live in today! Don’t forget to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting 2016
Although the Empire State building is one of New York’s most iconic sites, the Rockefeller Christmas tree is right up there with it. This year`s tree comes from Oneonta, New York. This gigantic Norway spruce will be chopped down on November 10th and will arrive in New York City on November 12th. Then on November 30th, is the event that we’ve been waiting for. That is the tree lighting ceremony! You will be able to watch this live along with musical performances on NBC.
This year’s fabulous tree will be decorated with 50,000 LED lights and of course topped with a Swarovski star. The best part is that you are able to enjoy the tree from November 30th all the way till January 7th. So you have no excuse not to catch a bit of this Christmas magic. And while you are there, you can even skate below the tree at the Rink at Rockefeller plaza. This is a Christmas tradition that you don’t want to pass you by!
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 90th Anniversary
Halloween is behind us and we are already on to the next holiday. And that’s Thanksgiving, of course! I don’t know about you but one of the first things I think of (besides all the food) is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This year is even more special because it`s the 90th anniversary!
You only turn 90 once, so Macy`s is planning on kicking it up this year to celebrate nine decades of this holiday tradition. From Felix (the first giant balloon in 1927) to Snoopy (the character with the most balloons), there is so much to look forward to this year! One of the throwback classics that they are featuring this year is Felix. “DreamWorks Animation’s Felix the Cat, whose likeness was the first balloon featured in a Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in 1927, will return in throwback form, designed and built in the same methods utilized in the 1920s. Unlike his fellow balloons such as Charlie Brown and Ronald McDonald, Felix will process carried on sticks, also mimicking his original appearance.” Another fun act that you can’t miss is two sets of the Muppets. Kermit and his crew will be kicking off the parade with a musical number and Big Bird and the “Sesame Street” team will be appearing later in the parade. This year is guaranteed to be the perfect combination of classic and current favorites. The parade airs at 9 a.m. on NBC and you don’t want to miss it!
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Snickers Candy
Snickers are hands down one of the most popular candy in the world. This candy can bring in an annual profits grossing around $2 billion. One thing we can agree on is that Snickers are pure edible joy. Besides knowing that they are absolutely delicious, I am going to share with you 6 fun facts that you might of not known.
1. Snickers got their name from a favorite horse of the Mars family.
2. Each regular Snickers bar has around 16 peanuts in each one.
3. When Snickers was released in 1930, the cost was just 5 cents.
4. Over 15 million Snickers are manufactured every day.
5. While they’re the most popular candy in the world, Snickers are not the top selling candy in America. The number one selling candy in America is M&Ms.
6. In the U.K., the Isle of Man, and Ireland, Snickers were sold
Now you know a little bit more about this scrumptious treat! Just like the slogan goes, “You’re not you when you’re hungry”! Comment below which kind of Snickers is your favorite! Ours is the Snickers peanut butter squared!
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Candy Corn Fun Facts!
Although everyone might seem pumpkin spice crazy at the moment, there is always one Halloween classic treat that will never be forgotten. And that is, candy corn. This sweet treat is a Halloween staple and often overlooked. We are going to give you some Halloween fun facts that you might not have known. And after reading our facts, let us know your favorite! And don’t forget to enjoy this classic treat on October 30th because that is National Candy Corn day!
• The original name for candy corn was “Chick Feed” and was marketed toward farmers.
• Candy corn has been around for over 130 years when George Renninger, a candy maker at the Wunderlee Candy Company, stumbled upon the perfect mixture of corn syrup, sugar and marshmallow flavoring, which invented the tri-color candy in 1880.
• Americans have debated on the style of how the kernels should be consumed. According to a survey, 46.8% of people think that the whole kernel should be eaten at once, compared to 42.7% that start at the white, narrow end. While the remaining 10.6% of people start at the wider yellow end.
• A recent CNN Facebook survey found that older people tend to like candy corn more than younger ones do. The study also found that 86% of females love candy corn compared to 14% of males.
• According to Google Insights, candy corn is the most searched for candy term in Google. Alabama has the highest about of candy corn searches out of all 50 states. The only thing sweeter than “Sweet Home Alabama” is the candy corn itself.
Written by: Sandra Costanzo