Shortly before we were all sent our collective rooms, my daughter brought home 24 boxes of Girl Guide cookies. At first, we were super happy knowing that we would have an almost unlimited supply of cookies for our family. Then we were sad, knowing we had eaten 6 boxes of our unlimited supply of cookies in the first week of isolation.
And these weren’t my favorite ‘Thin Mint’ type – no these were the half vanilla, half chocolate kind, and in my family, no one likes the chocolate. We had to make a rule, you must eat an equal quantity of chocolate with the vanilla so that we were not left with only chocolate at the end. This seemed smart at first, but it only really doubled our intake, and that, my friends, is why we must keep our eye on theGirl Guides, they are smart cookies.
We managed to find a new home for our remaining boxes with a friend with a large family – our small family was beginning to get worried about what kinds of exercise we might need to do to burn off 24 boxes of cookies.
There is no door-to-door delivery for cookies this year so if you want to pick some up Save-on-Foods has them on sale both online and in-store. The cookie drive is a really important funding tool for the Girl Guides so don’t be afraid to seek them out at Save-on-Foods or with friends and family with young guides. They will probably thank you for taking some boxes off of their hands, that is if they have any left.
Read the full press release below.
Save-On-Foods partners with Girl Guides of Canada to sell cookies at stores across Western Canada
LANGLEY, BC, March 27, 2020 /CNW/ – Save-On-Foods is sending boxes of Girl Guides of Canada’s famous chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies to all 175 of its Save-On-Foods and Urban Fare locations to sell the cookies on behalf of Girl Guides amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girl Guides sell cookies as a major fundraiser to support their programs which offer girls and young women opportunities to develop confidence and life skills. Traditionally, local units set up outside of retail stores to sell the cookies or go door-to-door to their neighbours. On March 13, 2020, due to the ongoing need for social distancing, Girl Guides suspended all in-person Girl Guide activities to ensure the health and well-being of girls, adult members, volunteers and the greater community.
This suspension has virtually halted the annual spring Girl Guide cookie campaign, one of the organization’s two major fundraising initiatives. As a result, Girl Guides put out a call for help to safely sell the cookies.
Save-On-Foods answered the call, offering to send all the boxes of cookies it could to all Save-On-Foods stores across Western Canada. Now, more than 210,000 boxes of cookies are on their way. The company expects the cookies to hit shelves as early as late next week and they’ll be available at all Save-On-Foods and Urban Fare locations from B.C. to Manitoba and north to the Yukon.
“Save-On-Foods has a long history of supporting our communities, and we wanted to help Girl Guides with this fantastic tradition,” said Save-On-Foods president Darrell Jones. “For many people, these cookies mark the start of spring, and we are happy to give our customers the chance to support Girl Guides by picking up a box or two next time they shop at Save-On-Foods.”
A box of cookies costs $5 and all proceeds go to Girl Guides of Canada. The cookies are available in store and online while supplies last.
Whether girls are planning a camp or buying supplies for activities, the funds from Girl Guide cookie sales make it possible for girls to participate in activities that help them build their confidence, and life-long skills,” says Jill Zelmanovits, CEO, Girl Guides of Canada. “Many units have Girl Guide cookies that they cannot sell at this time while they focus on doing their part to practice social distancing to ensure the health of their community. Having the support of a retailer like Save-On-Foods is essential to ensure girls in Guiding can continue to have access to our amazing programming and we are so grateful that they have jumped in to help us out. Their amazing commitment to sell more than 210,000 boxes is a huge relief to our local girl guides and will help us get these cookies into homes across Western Canada.”
About Save-On-Foods
Save-On-Foods is committed to Going the Extra Mile for customers in every community served, every day. Known for its unique approach in customizing each store to best suit the needs of the neighbourhood by carrying more than 2,500 locally-made products from more than 2,000 local growers and producers, the company has been innovating and putting customers first for over 100 years. Save-On-Foods, its supplier partners, team members and generous customers have donated more than $30 million to children’s hospitals and contribute $3 million in donations to food banks across Western Canada each year.
About Girl Guides of Canada
Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada (GGC) empowers every girl in Guiding to discover herself and be everything she wants to be. In Guiding, girls from 5-17 meet with girls their own age in a safe, inclusive space to explore what matters to them. With programming options ranging from innovative STEM activities to outdoor adventures and discussions on mental health and healthy relationships, girls in Guiding can customize their experience to dive into the topics relevant to them – all with the support of engaged Guiders who are committed to positively impacting their lives. Girl Guide cookies is the official fundraiser for Girl Guides across Canada. The money raised through cookie sales funds innovative and dynamic programs for girls. Over 6 million boxes of cookies are sold each year and Girl Guides have been selling cookies since 1927. For more information visit GirlGuides.ca and follow @girlguidesofcanada on Instagram or @girlguidesofcan on Twitter.
Those of us working from home with children in this age of Covid-19 are beginning to realise how much our school system was doing for our children. We have become teacher, social director and playmate on top of being concerned parents. The Breakfast Club of Canada was providing an extra service to 250,000 Canadian students – breakfast.
Breakfast Club of Canada estimates that over 1 million youths are affected with food insecurity in Canada. That is a lot in a country of 37 million. Breakfast Club is diverting their current funds for breakfasts to high risk families. However, they don’t have enough money for all the people that are in need, and are asking for help to close the gap.
If you are in need or can give please see the complete press release below for further information.
Breakfast Club of Canada Sets Up an Emergency Fund to Reach Out to Children Across the Country
MONTREAL, March 20, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ – Backed by its network of corporate partners, Breakfast Club of Canada is setting up an emergency fund to support breakfast program enrollees and local community organizations that assist food-insecure families and children throughout Canada during the COVID-19 crisis.
Some 250,000 students usually depend on the Club and its partners for a healthy breakfast every school morning, but the total number of children and youth across the country affected by food insecurity is actually greater than 1 million. To help minimize the repercussions of this crisis on them, Breakfast Club of Canada is reallocating the funds normally earmarked for schools to high-risk regions and established partners that are already well equipped to serve them.
In order to be able to address the needs of children for as long as possible during the crisis, Breakfast Club of Canada is turning to its corporate partners and the general public for help.
A number of partners have already stepped forward and announced a contribution to the Club’s emergency fund: belairdirect and Intact insurance 500k, Danone 200k, Kellogg Canada 150k, National Bank 50k. Other partners such as Sodexo also have offered their support.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the emergency fund can do so through the Club’s website.
Breakfast Club of Canada invites community organizations that wish to apply for a special grant to fill out an online application.
The emergency fund will:
Focus on food-insecure households with children across Canada, including those in Indigenous communities
Target high-need neighbourhoods
Be administered in collaboration with respected community organizations that are familiar with and rigorously apply hygiene and sanitation measures associated with handling food as well as the requirements developed by public health authorities to control the spread of COVID-19.
Quotes:
“Right now, we need to do everything we can to honour the pledge we made to children 25 years ago and make sure they get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy. We have built a strong network over time and we will be putting it to work now for their benefit.”
– Daniel Germain, President and Founder, Breakfast Club of Canada
“Our front-line staff members and our partners are a tremendous resource for Canadian families during these trying times. More than ever, we need to be able to count on one another so we can deliver on our mission and feed children who are experiencing food insecurity.”
– Tommy Kulczyk, Managing Director, Breakfast Club of Canada
“For many Canadians, food insecurity is a daily concern but during a crisis, it’s even more so. We are supporting Breakfast Club of Canada and their new emergency fund to ensure that resources are available to those in need.”
– Anne Fortin, Senior Vice President, Direct Distribution, and Chief Marketing Officer, belairdirect and Intact insurance
”We feel that in these challenging times, children in Canada need us more than ever. Together with our employees across Canada, Danone believes that we can use our business as a force for good to help feed hungry children and provide them with an access to healthy food.”
– Dan Magliocco, President of Danone Canada
“As always, through our global Kellogg’s Better Days purpose platform, we help deliver critical nourishment to families when they need it most. We are proud to support the efforts of our longstanding partners, Breakfast Club of Canada, to help ensure Canadian families and children continue to get access to the food they need during this unprecedented time.”
– Tony Chow, President, Kellogg Canada Inc.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 243,500 children and youth in 1,809 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org.
When I was about eight or nine my grandmother tried to teach me how to make perogies. I was not a willing pouch of dough waiting to be stuffed with potatoes and cheese. I was more like an adolescent who wanted to be stuffed with potatoes and cheese but was too lazy to help make that happen. I helped anyway and I sure am glad that I did. Here is my version of that recipe.
Ingredients:
Dough
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup water
Filling
4 large potatoes
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
½ finely chopped or crumbled bacon (save the grease) – Vegans should avoid this ingredient
¾ cup old cheddar cheese or Ricotta or any flavourful cheese of your choice
2 tablespoons milk – Vegans should use oat milk, it’s yummy and the oats hardly mind the handling
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Filling
Boil the potatoes until cooked, not too soft.
Drain the potatoes. As you are mashing them add the milk, garlic, bacon (including the grease), salt and pepper. And the cheese slowly to avoid clumping and to give it a chance to melt.
Taste the filling, you want it to be seasoned slightly stronger than you would expect, the second boiling seems to leach out some of the flavour. But don’t go overboard.
Dough
Start by making a mountain with the flour on a clean surface. Then make a low sided volcano by creating a depression in the center.
Pour the olive oil into the valley you have created.
Stick your finger into the center of the lake of olive oil. Make circular motions with your fingers touching where the lake meets the valley until the oil is absorbed.
Next start slowly adding the water to the valley a few tablespoons at a time while continuing to make circular motions.
Continue adding water until all the flour is used up and you are left with a stiff dough. Roll that into a ball, cut that in half.
Roll the dough out on a well floured surface until it reaches a thickness of 1/16th of an inch (2mm).
Use a wine glass to cookie-cut circles from your dough.
Take a small spoonful of the potato mixture and put it in the center of a dough circle.
Fold the circle in half, and then pinch it closed. Try not to leave any air in the pierogi or any gaps in your seal when pinching. *If you want to freeze some, lightly flour them and set them aside for an hour or so, until they aren’t sticky to the touch first. ** If pinching is too tiring or you are finding your pierogi are misshapen check out these awesome pierogi presses on Amazon.
Boil the perogies until they begin to float – 6 to 8 minutes. Warning – this is the time you find out if you did a good job pinching in the last step.
Are we almost there yet? Strain the boiled perogies. Heat a non-stick or cast iron frying pan to a medium heat, with the oil of your choice. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
We like to top these with caramelized onions, extra bacon, sour cream and more cheese. My heart is pounding just thinking about it.
Try adding half seasoned ground beef and half potato mixture to the dough for a Shepherd’s pie pierogi. Or, we have even had dessert perogies! Add a slice of apple or peach to your dough, dust with a little cinnamon and seal it up. Fry it like normal, dab off any excess oil and dust with powdered sugar! Yum!
Disney launched Star Wars: Galaxy Edge, their Star Wars-themed park in June of 2019. On July 18, just over a year later they are opening an entirely new park with an Avengers theme called Avengers Campus. Marvel is a huge property for Disney, and considering the job they are doing with the Star Wars franchise, we should expect a top quality experience.
The park seems to be built around an existing attraction, that was launched in 2017, called Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! But there is a ton of new stuff as well.
Here are some of the highlights:
Characters you’ll find – Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, the cast of Black Panther, Ironman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-man and the Wasp, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Taskmaster, Thor, Doctor Strange. I am sure I missed some and I am sure they will add some more too.
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, which takes guests on an interactive escapade.
Iron Man in his new armour, the Mark 80.
An original story tying all the characters together.
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature this iconic Superhero.
Doctor Strange will train recruits in the ways of the mystic arts by bringing his ancient Sanctum to life with powerful spells.
Three new dining spots
Impossible™ plant-based large and micro meatballs with pasta served in a super-sized spoon with a tiny fork
That is just a taste of the fun Disney has in store for their newest park. Read the full press release below.
ANAHEIM, Calif., March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Avengers Campus, an entirely new land dedicated to discovering, recruiting and training the next generation of heroes, will open July 18, 2020 at the Disneyland Resort, inside Disney California Adventure Park. Guests who are lifelong fans of Super Heroes and those discovering them for the first time are invited to team up with the Avengers and their allies to live out their Super Hero dreams in this fully immersive land that mixes innovative technology and fun for all ages.
Avengers Campus brings together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for the common good, and they’re calling all recruits to join the action: Team up with the Avengers and their allies; sling webs with Spider-Man, taste-test inventive food and drinks and become part of a bigger universe. Kids and guests of all ages will find their powers as they unite with family and friends to take an active role alongside some of their favorite heroes, with a chance to live out their own heroic story.
Avenger Campus Entrance
Guests will have the chance to witness Spider-Man swinging into action high above Avengers Campus with gravity-defying, acrobatic feats never seen before in a Disney park. That may inspire them to experience the new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, which takes guests on an interactive escapade. And that’s just the beginning of the fun. Families and friends will train with Black Panther and Wakanda’s elite guards, the Dora Milaje; team up to save The Guardians of the Galaxy from The Collector’s Fortress; encounter heroes (and villains), and experience the thrills as Avengers hold off their foes and save the day. Those seeking provisions for their next mission will find them at Pym Test Kitchen.
While exploring Avengers Campus, recruits may encounter Iron Man in his new armor, the Mark 80, revealed for the first time at a Disney park. Ant-Man and The Wasp appear for the first time at the Disneyland Resort and Doctor Strange will train recruits in the ways of the mystic arts at an ancient Sanctum. The villain Taskmaster also debuts at Avengers Campus, and Black Widow, Black Panther, Thor, The Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America and Captain Marvel are among those joining the action.
“When we set out to create these extraordinary Super Hero experiences across the globe, we designed a new Spider-Man attraction for Disney California Adventure park in an immersive land with amazing character experiences,” said Scot Drake, portfolio creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering. “We also crafted an original story that ties all the experiences together in ways that are authentic to these characters. We worked side-by-side with teams that brought the Avengers films and comics to life to create a place that champions the next generation of heroes.”
“Avengers Campus will be a place where fans and guests can finally step into the universe they love, and stand alongside some of their favorite heroes,” said Dave Bushore, vice president of Franchise Creative & Marketing for Marvel Studios. “The optimism inherent in Avengers Campus captures the diversity, power and teamwork these extraordinary characters possess, and now they come together to unite people from all over the world under one guiding principle: We are stronger together.”
Step into a new place in the universe
The doors to Avengers Campus welcome all Avengers, their allies, and new recruits. Tony Stark offered up the site, formerly one of his father’s Stark Industries complexes, as a place to train the next generation of Super Heroes.
The story of the land unfolds with authentic detail as Avengers Campus is comprised of several heroic locations, each hosted by a different Avenger or their ally to share their unique powers, technology and knowledge with recruits. Optimistic and forward-looking, these represent galactic spaces, mystic places, modern architecture and sleek technology.
The first key address is the Worldwide Engineering Brigade – also known as WEB. It brings together bright innovators like Peter Parker who have been assembled by Tony Stark to invent new technologies and equip everyday people to become heroes. WEB is home to the new WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature this iconic Super Hero.
Avengers Headquarters is the heart of the land, an iconic building where guests may catch a glimpse of the Avengers springing into action ready to save the day.
Sling webs with Spider-Man and unite with the Guardians of the Galaxy
Tom Holland will reprise his role as Spider-Man in the land’s new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. This new, action-packed adventure invites guests to put their web-slinging skills to the test, a feat accomplished with innovative technology adapted specifically for this attraction. The mission: team up with Spidey and help capture the out-of-control Spider-Bots before they wreak havoc on the Campus. During an open house at WEB, Peter Parker and the aspiring inventors ask guests to wear 3D glasses and test drive their latest invention, the WEB Slinger vehicle, which allows them to sling webs like Spider-Man and experience what it’s like to have super powers.
Avenger Campus at night
This family-friendly attraction blends physical sets and virtual environments to take new recruits on an interactive escapade. There is no height requirement for this attraction, allowing aspiring young heroes to join the fun.
Looming high above the land is the towering citadel of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, a fan-favorite that opened in Disney California Adventure in 2017. Guests are the protagonists of this rockin’ adventure as they help rescue a cosmic gang of misfits. Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. the Collector, has brought his unique collection of fantastical fauna, relics and species from across the cosmos to Earth. To their misfortune, Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax and Groot were recently made a part of Tivan’s “collection” and are being held captive within his Fortress. It takes some raucous mayhem, music inspired by the soundtracks from the movies and thrilling free-fall drop sequences for this adventure to break out the Guardians.
For the first time: Taskmaster, Ant-Man and The Wasp join a land full of heroes
Throughout Avengers Campus, Super Heroes come to life in ways that are more exciting than ever.
At Avengers Headquarters, guests have a chance to witness epic action as Captain America, Black Panther or Black Widow face their villainous foes. Or, they may see Spider-Man defying gravity as he flips 60 to 65 feet in the air above the rooftop of the WEB building. Following those stunning moves, Spider-Man will swing down off the building to ground level to meet up and say hello to new recruits.
New recruits at Avengers Campus may have heroic encounters with Iron Man in his new armor, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and Thor, some of whom are making their first appearances at the park. Loki gets into mischief, and Groot continues to roam near the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
The villainous Taskmaster, who will have a role in the upcoming film “Black Widow,” is seen for the first time at a Disney park at Avengers Campus. Taskmaster’s abilities include photographic reflexes. Taskmaster can replicate Super Hero moves, making this new villain a balanced foe for the Campus heroes.
Recruits can train with Black Panther’s loyal bodyguards, the Dora Milaje, to learn wisdom from Wakanda and what it’s like to be a member of this elite royal guard. Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje, also debuts for the first time in a Disney park as she leads this training encounter.
Exploring the overgrown ruins of an ancient Sanctum, guests can learn mysterious secrets from Doctor Strange and discover ancient, magical artifacts. Doctor Strange will train recruits in the ways of the mystic arts by bringing this ancient Sanctum to life with powerful spells. At night, the Sanctum glows even more vividly with majestic colors and lights, pulsating with mystic energy.
Pym Particles produce tiny treats and big bites
When it is time to take a break from the heroics, three new dining spots will offer sustenance.
Pym Test Kitchen: Just as Ant-Man and The Wasp used “Pym Particles” to grow and shrink just about anything, the Pym Test Kitchen applies this innovative science to the food creation. This unbound potential allows Pym Test Kitchen to showcase normal foods at unusual scales, including shareable bites, inventive-sized entrees and tiny treats. As guests watch the Pym food scientists at work in the kitchen lab, they will see a conveyor belt transport a regular-sized pretzel into a quantum tunnel – and it comes out big!
Guests will be able to taste-test foods like the Impossible™ plant-based large and micro meatballs with pasta served in a super-sized spoon with a tiny fork. Another choice is the “Pym-ini,” a panini on toasted focaccia with meats, cheese and marinara dipping sauce, which can be served by the slice or as a long, multi-portion sandwich. Those will go well with a glass of Pingo Doce, the distinctly green beverage from Avenger lore that will be available at Avengers Campus.
Gigantic soda cans and condiment bottles will be mounted in the vestibules so diners can tap into their accompaniments. Outdoor seating is a great place to watch for Super Heroes as they may be nearby taking on a challenge from Taskmaster.
Pym Tasting Lab: Adjacent to the Pym Test Kitchen, an oversized beer can overhead signals that grown-up beverages are available at Pym Tasting Lab. Guests may order a craft beer, ranging from a blood orange hefeweizen to an amber lager. These are poured from a reverse draft system where, thanks to the food scientists, the glass fills from the bottom up. Those thirsting for a beer cocktail will have four to choose from, along with bite-sized snacks.
Shawarma Palace: Fans may recall that after the Battle of New York, the exhausted Avengers took Tony Stark up on his offer to try the food at the “shawarma joint” about two blocks from the battle zone. There at Shawarma Palace, the Avengers discovered their new favorite food. The Avengers loved the food so much that when it came time to build Avengers Campus, they invited the Shawarma Palace crew to open a second location at Avengers Campus. Now, guests and heroes on the go can enjoy their favorite shawarma-inspired snacks at this food cart, which is decked out with memorabilia for Avenger fans. This cart offers hand-held savory wraps with fragrant chicken shawarma and garlic sauce. Or, guests may choose the Impossible™ plant-based falafel wrap.
Terran Treats: Taneleer Tivan did not limit his collection to lovable misfits; he is also curating a weird and wonderful menu of intergalactic eats at this food cart near Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Churro spirals with unique flavors, and a cosmic orb with an outer shell revealing a decadent creamy filling, are just a few takes on what concoctions he has conceived to lure guests to his Fortress.
The latest in Spider-Bot prototypes
At the WEB Suppliers store, guests may find just what aspiring WEB members need, including swag to show off some WEB pride, items to tinker with at home and something every hero needs – a friendly sidekick. Interactive Spider-Bots, much like the ones seen throughout Avengers Campus, are powered by a remote control with eight articulated legs that move forward and backward. Guests may customize their Spider-Bot with tactical upgrades to harness the powers and style of some of their favorite Super Heroes including Black Panther, Iron Man and Black Widow, as well as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Guests may also connect with their friends’ Spider-Bots for epic showdowns.
Other must-have items at WEB Suppliers include a specially-designed backpack to carry and show Spider-Bots when they are not in action, stylish Spider-Man goggles that light up and interact with their surroundings, a Spider-Man action figure that interacts with mini Spider-Bots, Web-shooters that come to life with lights and sounds, a take-home spider web kit and Funko Pop! vinyl figurines of Spider-Man and Iron Man.
The Campus Supply Pod is the place to power up with official Avengers Campus gear including performance fleece hoodies and tees, headwear, drinkware and other Super Hero supplies.
The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year-round.
I first found out about Boveda when a sachet was included with a purchase I made from a very professional pre-legal cannabis vendor in Canada. I am sure we have all had super-dry or so-wet-you-can’t-consume-it cannabis. In fact, just last weekend I purchased two different types of cannabis from a legal vendor, Renew and Pedro’s Sweet Sativa. The shop looked like an Apple store with screens everywhere, and the purchasing experience was almost fun. A knowledgeable ‘genius’ with an iPad stuck to one hand took my order.
Excited by the prospect of trying two new strains, I rushed home only to find that I was literally able to crumble the cannabis into powder with my fingers. It had almost no scent and burned super hot.
Boveda creates a powerful terpene shield made of purified water. This shield protects your precious trichomes by preventing evaporation and preserving the terpenes, cannabinoids, and THC—from cure to consumption.
Boveda
I used to put some bread or orange peel in there to rejuvenate the product. But who wants bread crumbs or extra bonus flavours in their cannabis? What if you make it too wet? Boveda works either to humidify or dry your cannabis to the perfect humidity level.
Image copyright Bovedainc.com
Boveda believes in their product so much they are giving away free samples! I don’t know how long this will last, so you had better hurry. It looks like this promotion is only for the US and Canada at the moment – sorry to rest of the world!
Ditch the chocolates and flowers this Valentine’s Day and adopt a dog instead. That’s the message Coors Light is sending by offering to help cover adoption fees for a thousand lucky Americans.
In a press release dated Tuesday, February 4 the beer giant refers to winter as being “cuffing season” – the time of year where people shack up with whoever because they are cold and lonely. And Valentine’s Day is peak cuffing season.
“Cuffing Season is a major cultural trend and poses tension for our younger drinkers, as they navigate the stress of finding someone to spend the cold months with,” Chelsea Parker, Marketing Manager at Molson Coors, is quoted as saying in the release. “With almost half of millennials planning to stay in on Valentine’s Day, we wanted to help empower people to savor the day with Coors Light and a dog by their side.”
For those eligible to participate (official rules can be found here) you have until 11:59 p.m. CT on February 21 to text 28130 with “COORS4k9” and a picture of your adoption receipt. The first thousand people who qualify will receive $100 towards their adoption fees.
Do you plan on adopting a dog this Valentine’s Day? Share your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
Full press release from Coors Light below.
Each Winter we witness a cultural phenomenon where people couple up to stave off the weather-induced blues; better known as Cuffing Season. Valentine’s Day is the pinnacle of Cuffing Season, and according to a new survey from Coors Light, a majority of young legal drinking age millennials (58%) find it overrated. That’s why Coors Light encourages you to skip the cheesy Valentine’s traditions and spend the day with a fur-ever friend – and will help pay fees for 1,000 dogs adopted between 12:00 PM CT on February 4, 2020 and 11:59:59 PM CT on February 21, 2020.
“Cuffing Season is a major cultural trend and poses tension for our younger drinkers, as they navigate the stress of finding someone to spend the cold months with,” said Chelsea Parker, Marketing Manager at Molson Coors. “With almost half of millennials planning to stay in on Valentine’s Day, we wanted to help empower people to savor the day with Coors Light and a dog by their side.”
Anyone of legal drinking age who resides in an eligible state and adopts a dog between February 4–21, 2020 can have Coors Light help cover their adoption fees. Eligible participants can text “COORS4k9” and a picture of their adoption receipt to 28130. After review, the first 1,000 eligible participants will be given $100 to apply toward their adoption fees. See terms and conditions at www.promorules.com/PL013422 for full offer details.
This Valentine’s Day, spend your time with a companion who will stick around for summer fun: your new adopted dog and a refreshing Coors Light.
Coors Brewing Company was founded in 1873 by Adolph Coors, who chose the Clear Creek Valley in Golden, Colo., for his new brewery because of the pure water in the nearby Rocky Mountain springs. The brewery’s original and most enduring beer is Coors Banquet (Coors.com, Facebook.com/CoorsBanquet, YouTube.com/OfficialCoorsBanquet), still brewed exclusively in Golden using only Rocky Mountain water and high-country barley. Coors Light (CoorsLight.com, Facebook.com/CoorsLight, @CoorsLight on Twitter, YouTube.com/CoorsLight) was introduced in 1978 and now is the second-best-selling beer in the United States. Triple-filtered smooth Keystone Light (KeystoneLight.com, Facebook.com/KeystoneLight) is one the country’s most popular economy beers. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at Facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors.
Coors Light partnered with ENGINE INSIGHTS on a nationally representative survey of Americans ages 21–27.
NO BEER PURCHASE IS REQUIRED. PAYMENT OF DOG ADOPTION FEE IS REQUIRED, Purchase/adoption required. Open only to legal residents of the 50 U.S./DC, 21+ years of age. VOID IN CA, LA, PA, SD, TX, VA, WV AND WHERE PROHIBITED. Begins 2/4/20 at 12:00 PM CT and ends 2/21/20 at 11:59:59 PM CT, or once offer items are exhausted, whichever occurs first. During the offer period, at a participating location, complete the adoption process of one (1) dog (an “Adoption”), and text a picture of Adoption receipt to 28130 stating the keyword “COORS4K9” to receive one (1) unique redemption code that can be used to redeem $100 via Venmo (“Offer Item”). Venmo account required to receive Offer Item. Redemption codes must be redeemed by 11:59:59 PM CT on 2/24/20. Limit 1 Offer Item per person/household. No more than 1,000 Offer Items are available in the offer. Where permitted, original register receipt required. For Terms and Conditions, including offer details and restrictions, visit www.promorules.com/PL013422. Purchase not condition of consent. Msg&data rates may apply. Text HELP to 28130 for help. Text STOP to 28130 to cease messages. This offer is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Venmo.
Christmas is rapidly approaching if you haven’t bought the dad in your life a gift yet, you better get a move on! Don’t have any ideas? Here are a few last minute suggestions that I (and many dads I know) would be happy to see under the tree.
Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin has a very nice, smooth taste to it and goes well with tonic, or in a martini or mixed drink (Blake Lively drinks a lot of this in the movie A Simple Favor, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime).
Proper Twelve is an Irish whiskey from MMA fighter Conor McGregor that offers up some great flavours when drank neat (as all whiskey should be drank).
Patron’s XO Café is a coffee tequila liqueur that works as a shot (it gives a nice boost during party season) and also goes well in a coffee or over a bowl of ice cream.
I hadn’t used an electric razor since high school and I was skeptical when the Philips S9000 Prestige wet and dry shaver arrived at my door a couple of months ago. To my surprise, it has become my go-to for quick shaves in the morning or before going out at night. It delivers a clean shave, keeps its charge and is great for taking on the road. It runs about $299 on Amazon and is well worth it.
Kitchen appliances are not something most people think about giving dad, but it’s 2019 and the notion we’re all stupid in the kitchen is outdated. I picked up a few Hamilton Beach products earlier this year to help keep my meals creative, and they have definitely made my home a happier place.
The Flip Belgian Waffle Baker with Removable Grids they sell is my favourite of the bunch as my kids enjoy using it with me (and we’ve made some great waffles with it). It’s also super easy to clean as it’s dishwasher safe.
For making a quick smoothie in the morning (or a daiquiri on the weekend) the Hamilton Beach Personal Creations Blender with travel lid ($19.99) is a godsend! It handles frozen drinks well and is portable enough we take it to the cottage often.
We use our Instant Pot for most big meals these days, but when we only need to steam some veggies or cook a small amount of rice, the Hamilton Beach 1.5 Quart Compact Multi Cooker ($49.95) is so much easier to deal with. It’s also great for eggs or oatmeal in the morning.
My cousin introduced me to the Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells last summer and I had to get a set! Not only do these feel great to use, they let you select the desired weight (between 5 and 52.2 lbs) in one compact dumbbell. They run $428 a set but are well worth the investment.
I’ve been a fan of EGO Power tools since they hit the Canadian market over five years ago and own almost everything they offer. This summer I gifted my older 20-inch mower of theirs (which still works great) to my father-in-law and picked up their new 21-inch Power+ model ($598 at Home Depot). All the dads in my neighbourhood stop to talk about it when I’m out cutting the grass and I know they are all hoping Santa brings them one.
With new streaming services like Disney+ and Apple TV+ recently launching, upgrading dad to a new 4K streaming box is probably the best (and cheapest) way to make him happy this Christmas. And nothing beats the Roku Premiere ($44.99) when it comes to a streaming box with the most options available that’s easy to use. Along with standard fare like Netflix and Amazon Prime, you can also get sports from DAZN, movies from Cineplex and Google Play Movies, and so much more.
Do you have any last minute gift ideas for dad? Share them in the comments below!
A scene from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Courtesy Warner Bros.
I have been a Harry Potter fan for a long time. I’ve seen all the movies multiple times (in the theatre and at home) and am currently reading all the books with my kids. To say that the excitement of the series has worn off over the years is an understatement. That said, seeing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performing the film score live took things to a whole new level and blew me away.
Against a warning from house-elf Dobby, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) heads to his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to discover that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and a snake-like Basilisk is on the loose petrifying students. Harry and his best friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) look for clues to try to catch the monster and close the Chamber for good.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second part of the Harry Potter series. The film, directed by Chris Columbus, came out in 2002 and surprisingly holds up very well on the big screen. It was the last Harry Potter film with Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore (Harris passed away before the film opened) and it introduced the lovable house-elf character, Dobby. Kenneth Branagh played celebrity Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, and if you’ve read the book you know he nailed the part.
Seeing the film with a live orchestra performing was a truly unique and magical experience. My kids, who just saw the film at home for the first time a few months ago, were on the edge of their seats totally absorbed by it. There were even moments where the hair on my arms stood on end I was so wowed over it all. A lot of people came dressed up as their favourite character and the conductor encouraged the audience to cheer and be loud. As someone who has seen the film at least three times before, it was a brand new experience and I highly recommend checking it out.
Two things I will note since I was asked about both. Yes, you can hear the dialogue of the film as the orchestra plays. They also include the English subtitles, which I thought was a nice touch (especially when the crowd was cheering). There is also a 15-minute intermission in the middle.
My queen size Hamuq mattress right after it expanded from the package.
After suffering from one too many uncomfortable sleeps I finally decided to ditch my old, saggy mattress and get something that wouldn’t make me cry when I went to bed at night. I knew I wanted something with memory foam, that was easy to get into my house and that was made to the best standards possible. My research led me to review the Hamuq mattress and I couldn’t be happier.
Hamuq is an online mattress retailer based in Peterborough, Ontario. All their mattresses are made in Toronto under strict quality and labour standards and they only use environmentally-friendly materials to make their mattresses (along with Canadian steel). Supporting a Canadian company and sleeping on something that isn’t packed with chemicals were both important to my wife and I.
What truly sold me on the Hamuq mattress as opposed to the many other bed-in-a-box options out there is that it is a hybrid pocket coil and memory foam mattress. Most online mattress retailers, like Casper and Leesa, only sell solid memory foam mattresses. With a pocket coil mattress you get the benefits of a firm mattress, the comfort of a pillow-top mattress and it also extracts heat and helps you sleep much cooler.
WATCH: Hamuq mattress unboxing and review
The Hamuq mattress is available in twin, double, queen and king sizes at varying price points from $699 to $999. No matter what size you order it is shipped for free to your door in a convenient, reasonably sized box. Hamuq also offers a 101 night trial so if you are not totally happy with your mattress purchase they will give you a full refund and pick the mattress up for free (if you send the mattress back it is donated to someone in need and not thrown in the garbage).
For my Hamuq mattress review I picked up the queen size mattress and it arrived a couple of days later. Because the mattress is rolled and compressed, my wife and I had no issues bringing the box (which was much smaller than I expected but also much heavier) inside and getting it into our bedroom.
The mattress is really compressed and packed inside the box. Once I got the rolled up bag of mattress out I carefully opened the plastic and BAM! It grew into a queen mattress (for some reason I compared this to being a big burrito). The process was very cool and satisfying to watch, and our kids were blown away by the whole thing (watch my Hamuq mattress review and unboxing video above to see it grow).
Our first impression of the Hamuq mattress was that the material felt very soft and high-end. There was also no off-gassing or nasty odor at all, which is expected from new furniture these days. As soon as I laid down on it I felt my back thanking me.
After my first sleep on it I found my back wasn’t sore the next morning. Where I used to spend 10 – 15 minutes each morning trying to work out the pain so I could stand straight, I now jump out of bed fresh and ready for the day ahead. After sleeping on the Hamuq mattress for a few months my back still feels great and I now dread having to sleep in a hotel (or anywhere else).
We got the mattress in early August when it was still quite warm out. As promised, the Hamuq mattress sleeps much cooler and I noticed right away I wasn’t waking up all sweaty. Now that the nights are getting cooler I find the mattress is still a comfortable temperature when I get into bed at night.
The big bonus of the Hamuq mattress is the pocket coils. If I do toss and turn in my sleep my wife doesn’t feel it at all, and vice versa. We both end up getting a much better sleep because of this. It’s also much easier to share the bed if one of our kids shows up in the middle of the night (which they do a lot more now that we have such a comfortable bed) or if our cat wants to curl up with us.
The one issue we had wasn’t an issue with the mattress itself but with our old box spring. Along with it and our bed frame, everything was way too high to get into bed without having to leap up (I’m 6’5″ and it felt high). The good news is that you can use the mattress on a slatted frame without a box spring, as well as on a platform bed or directly on the floor.
Overall we are very impressed and happy with our Hamuq mattress and highly recommend it. My only regret is that I didn’t know about it sooner and suffered with back problems and many bad sleeps for way too long.
If you want to try a Hamuq mattress in-person, Hamuq has a pop-up event planned in Toronto on Thursday, October 12 as part of the Peaces Night Market at 401 King St. W. from 5 to 10 p.m. For every sale made that night, $100 will be donated to the Toronto Humane Society. The mattress used will also be donated to someone in need after the event.
For more information on the Hamuq mattress, visit hamuq.com.
Are you in the market for a new mattress? Do you own a Hamuq or other bed-in-the-box brand mattress? Share your thoughts in the comments below or at facebook.com/bamcatBuzz.
With Birthday’s On-Demand parents can cue up characters from 14 different Netflix shows to celebrate with. Characters include LEGO Friends, Dinotrux, Barbie, King Julien, My Little Pony, Beat Bugs, Skylanders and more.
About Birthdays On-Demand
Birthdays On-Demand is a one-click birthday hack for the 44 per cent of parents who feel the social media-fueled anxiety of pulling off the perfect birthday celebration, and the 69 per cent who wish there was an easier way. No glitter, no confetti, just family-friendly entertainment that’ll be the icing on the cake at any birthday bash.
To find the Birthdays On-Demand featurettes on Netflix search for “birthday,” “birthdays,” “Birthdays On-Demand” or “birthday songs” or visit netflix.com/birthdays.
Will you use the Netflix Birthdays On-Demand feature for your child? Share your thoughts in the comments below or at facebook.com/bamcatBuzz.
