Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge

Do you know how much food your family throws out every week?  The produce that went bad, the leftovers that never got eaten, the expired yogurt?  According to Foodprint.org, households are responsible for the largest portion of food waste. Janet Irizarry of Hudson Valley EATS is working to help combat household food waste with the first ever Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge.

A Little Bit More About Janet

Janet has always worked in the restaurant and food industry.  This past year she launched “Cooking For a Cause”, where local Hudson Valley chefs gave virtual cooking demonstrations of some of their signature dishes. This was a fundraiser with profits from ticket sales going to nonprofits helping feed families in need. She started her blog Hudson Valley EATS in 2016 to highlight local restaurant chefs and food entrepreneurs. Recently, she has shifted the focus of the website to become more of an interactive food community, where readers can contribute articles, recipes and more.

Why Have A Food Waste Challenge?

Janet is hoping to bring more awareness to the amount of food that Hudson Valley households waste. She is also looking to educate families in significantly reducing their “foodprint” by giving them strategies to reduce their food waste. Although food waste challenges are not new, this is the first food waste challenge focused specifically on the Hudson Valley.

How long Is The Challenge?

The challenge is 6 weeks, running from September 20 – October 31st.

How Do I Join the Challenge?

You can join the challenge by signing up via the website.  There is a $25 registration fee per family that provides access to an online community, all of the resources for the challenge including articles, videos and worksheets, a t-shirt and a chance to win some prizes.

The only supplies you need for the challenge are small garbage bags, a small kitchen scale and the desire to reduce your food waste.

How Does The Challenge Work?

Each week there is a different topic related to food waste as well as challenges, questions and activities. Participants will be asked to complete a survey and track their food waste.

There is a social aspect to the challenge as well with an interactive community, social media hashtags and more.

At the end of the challenge prizes will be awarded to participants.

Why Should You Participate in the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge?

A recent study showed that the average American household wasted almost 32% of its food. The annual cost of this wasted food is almost $2,000. I think we can all do better at reducing the amount of food we waste. The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge is giving families the tools they need to learn how to reduce their “foodprint.” Even a small number of people can make a big impact.

I’ve been an advocate of food waste and have posted about the Too Good To Go App as well as the television show Scraps with Joel Gamoran. While I try my best to avoid food waste, I know there is always something new to learn.

I am looking forward to hopefully joining many of you in participating in the Hudson Valley’s first food waste challenge. You can sign up here. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the organizer, Janet Irizzary, at janet@hudsonvalleyEATS.com. You can read more about the challenge in the press release and on the Hudson Valley EATS website.

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Five on Friday {4-15-21}

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Hello Friday! I hope everyone had a great week! This week my daughter turned 15! She had her friends over on Wednesday night to help celebrate and this weekend we are having family over. I took today off of work since I have some vacation days that I need to use before the end of June. Sadly, the weather isn’t looking great, but my husband and I plan to enjoy a day date! Here are five from the past week: 

1. Eating – On a recent trip to Aldi I picked up this Salsa con Queso.  It’s addictingly good and I’ve been eating it with tortilla chips all week long!

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2. Reading – I am reading Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin. It’s about moms in an infant playgroup and all the going ons in their wealthy lives. It’s a light, mindless read. Perfect after having just finished The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah which was sooo good, but really sad and depressing.

3. Ice Cream – Last weekend we went to the Danbury Mall.  We got rolled ice cream and bubble tea for the kids from Papa-T. They love both these things so it was a win! 

4. Celebrating – My daughter’s 15th birthday! Her birthday was Wednesday and she celebrated by having her close group of friends over for pizza and cake. They had a Just Dance Wii marathon and played giant Uno. She had a great night! I’m glad she was able to enjoy the day with friends after last year’s birthday that was right in the beginning of the pandemic.

5. Cooking – One of our favorite dinners this week was Bruschetta Orzo Zucchini Boats. The original recipe called for quinoa, but no one except my husband likes quinoa. So I substituted orzo which went well with the flavors of the dish.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared my March Reads.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

You may also enjoy:

Five on Friday {Hello April}

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Five on Friday {3-12-21}

Happy Friday! It’s been a pretty uneventful week around here.  I am experiencing some neck pain and pain/numbness in my arms.  I’m self-diagnosing myself with a pinched nerve…..but I’m seeing a chiropractor this morning. It’s been a pretty painful couple of days, so hoping for some relief. Here are five from the past week: 

1. Eating – Falafel over rice from Alamidinah Market in Mohegan Lake. Since becoming vegetarian, I think falafel has become one of my favorite foods!  

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2. Reading – I am finishing up The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. It started off pretty slowly but has picked up enough to keep me interested. I’m hoping to finish it this weekend.  What are you reading?

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3. Watching – Last weekend we had a family movie night and watched The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix.  I wasn’t a big fan. Have you watched anything good this week?

4. Cooking – We loved these fried eggplant sandwiches with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and sautéed broccoli rabe.  My kids called these “deli sandwiches” since we usually order something similar from our local deli.

5. Drinking – My favorite new coffee house drink is an iced chai latte.  This once I got at Mimi’s Coffee House in Mount Kisco.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared my February Reads.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

You may also enjoy:

Five on Friday

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Five on Friday {Goodbye January}

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Hello Friday! I cannot believe it’s already the last Friday of the month! January has gone by so fast. We got a little snow in New York on Tuesday and I got to leave work early. And there’s potential for more snow Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. In other positive news, my son’s COVID test came back negative! Thank goodness! Here are five from this week:

1.  Zoom wedding: Saturday I watched my brother-in-law get married!  The ceremony was over Zoom and they were married by a retired NYS supreme judge. They had their first dance and fed each other cake on camera.  It was a nice, quick ceremony and we are so happy he is finally married!

2. Eating: Last weekend we ordered empanadas from Peekskill Empanadas, a new local food business that makes Colombian empanadas.  They had vegan empanadas and they were so good! And such a deal at only $2 each!

We also went to Tiffany’s Restaurant in Peekskill to get this Churro milkshake! It was so good!

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3. Reading: This week I’ve been reading Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah before the show comes to Netflix on February 3. I read this book back in 2008 but don’t remember any of it.

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4. Watching: Last weekend we had a family movie night and watched The Florida Project on Netflix. I’m finishing up Bling Empire and slowly making my way through Bridgerton. I just don’t have a lot of time to watch TV during the week, but there’s a lot of television that I want to watch!

5. Cooking: One of our favorite meals that  I cooked this week was this Crunchy Roll Bowl from Pinch of Yum.  It was so easy to make and really tasty!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared our Winter Outdoor Dining in Westchester County.

Wednesday I shared our Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites. Have a great weekend!

Westchester Weekly {January 27}

Check out this week’s edition of Westchester Weekly to find out where to eat, shop and play in Westchester County this week. Please check directly with the venue for the most up-to-date information.

Eat:

Yonkers Downtown Takeout Week: (Yonkers) Beginning January 25th through February 6th, eleven Yonkers restaurants are offering a special $40 takeout package. These deals have to be called in and are not available via apps.

25 North: (Mamaroneck) This Italian restaurant is offering a curbside take out special until Sunday. Use promo code: 25Northathome for 20% off your entire take out order.

Tuesday, January 26th: (Tarrytown) Chef Dale Talde’s Goosefeather is holding a Taco & Ramen Pop-up. Lobster tacos and lobster ramen will be served. $34/2 tacos and ramen, $38/3 tacos and ramen. Takeout orders were due by Sunday. However, you can dine in and write “taco pop up” in your reservation notes.

Saturday, January 30th: (Dobbs Ferry) The Cookery is offering a special Breakfast Sandwich Box available for pick-up on January 30th. Each box is $65 and serve 2-4 people. The box includes a choice of four sandwiches, crispy hash browns, a yogurt granola bowl and Cookery cold brew. Plus, there are several different add-ons available including salmon pastrami, bacon, biscuits and more.

Saturday, January 30th: (Larchmont) Starting Saturday, January 30th, Vintage 1891 in Larchmont will be serving brunch, starting at noon.

Sunday, January 31st: (Tuckahoe) From 1 PM – 5 PM on Sunday, Cousins Maine Lobster food truck will be at Broken Bow Brewery in Tuckahoe so you can fill up on all the lobster rolls while you enjoy a pint or two. (They will also be back Saturday, February 27th from 1 PM – 7 PM.)

New Menu Items:

Captain Lawrence Mount Kisco: (Mount Kisco) Only available at the Mount Kisco location, Captain Lawrence has introduced chicken & lemon grass or kale & veggie dumplings topped with red cabbage, radish and scallions tossed in a soy beer hoisin sauce.

Moderne Barn: (Armonk) Moderne Barn has added Ravioli Cacio E Pepe house-made ricotta and mushroom ravioli with pecorino romano, black truffle oil and micro greens to their menu.

Ongoing:

Downtown White Plains Restaurant Month: (White Plains) This is the last week to enjoy the first Downtown White Plains restaurant month. Through January 31st, select restaurants are offering Prix Fixe lunch ($20.95), dinner ($30.95) and 2nd tier dinner ($40.95) specials.

Shop:

Ongoing:

Saturdays: (Mamaroneck) Shop the Mamaroneck Winter Farmers Market at Harbor Island Park from 9 AM – 1 PM. There will also be a textile recycling collection at this week’s farmers market.

Wednesdays: (Yorktown Heights) Winter Farmers Market at the Jefferson Valley Mall January 6 – April 7 at the Jefferson Valley Mall on the upper level near the food court. The market will take place from 1:30 – 5:30 PM every Wednesday through April 7.

Play:

Thursday, January 28th: (Mamaroneck) Modern on The Rails will be hosting trivia nights every other Thursday. Trivia is this Thursday, January 28th at 7 PM with a special trivia night snack menu available. Please make sure to call to reserve your spot (914) 777-9300.

Friday, January 29th: A Maze in Pottery “Winter (Love) Bird” Chip ‘n’ Dip Adult Online Class: (Virtual) A Maze in Pottery is hosting an online adult painting class on Friday, January 29th from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM. The class is $34.90 and participants will paint a “Winter (Love) Bird” Chip ‘n’ Dip dish. Materials can be picked up a the store or delivered (for a charge). Registration closes 3 days before the event.

Friday, January 29th: The Pottery Factory Valentine Seascape Workshop: (Mount Kisco) On January 29th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM enjoy creating a valentine resin pour seascape at The Pottery Factory. Participants can bring their own beach memorabilia to include in the resin pour. Safety goggles and gloves are provided. This is a BYOB, adults only event. $49 for a 8×10 seascape frame, $59 for a 10×13 seascape frame.

Friday, January 29th: (Katonah) Jay Street Cafe holds a trivia night, every Friday night hosted by Let’s Go Trivia. Email to make your reservation, as seating is limited!

Saturday, January 30th: (Rye) Visit downtown Rye to see snowflakes decorated by kids in grades K-5 displayed in the storefronts. Participate in a snowflake scavenger hunt with snowflake cookie prizes.

Ongoing:

(January 30 – February 7): Teatown Hudson River EagleFest – This year there will be no festival at Croton Point Park. Instead, there are both virtual and limited attendance in-person events taking place January 30th – February 7thRegistration is now open for the various programs.

Yoga Classes: (Yorktown Heights) FREE yoga classes are offered at the Jefferson Valley Mall on Mondays at 10 AM, Thursdays at 10 AM, Wednesdays at 5:30 PM and Saturdays at 10 AM. Classes are held on the bottom floor in the former Gap store, across from Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Remember to bring a yoga mat and wear a mask.

In the Area:

Sunday, January 31st: (Beacon) Sunday, January 31st is Hudson Valley Free Day at the Dia: Beacon. The museum is open 10 AM – 4 PM. Advanced registration is required.

Saturday, January 30th: (Garrison) Enjoy eagle viewing at Boscobel House and Gardens with Constitution Marsh Audubon and Putnam Highlands Audubon. Two hour time slots are available from 9 AM – 2 PM. Admission is $12/adult, $10/senior, $6/children (age 5-18), Free/children under 5. Advance registration is required. All participants must bring their own viewing equipment (binoculars, scopes, etc.) Masks are required. (This event will also take place on Saturday, February 6th.)

Upcoming:

February 6th: Bestie Bash Hearts & Crafts at Pizzazzles in the Jefferson Valley Mall. This free event takes place from 11 AM – 12:30 PM and includes a DJ, crafts, prizes and fun.

February 6th: Tapping The Trees at Muscoot Farm 10 AM – 2:30 PM, 30-minute timeslots, $20/family

February 6th: Make a Polar Bear with polymer clay workshop at The Rye Arts Center

February 7th: Quenas Restaurant 10th Anniversary Celebration 2 PM – 9 PM with a special $55 tasting menu. 

February 7th – March 21st:  Maple Sugaring at Muscoot Farm 10 AM – 2:30 PM, 30-minute time slots, $20/family

You May Also Enjoy Reading:

Winter Outdoor Dining in Westchester County

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December Reads {2020}

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It’s a new year, with hopefully lots of good books in my future! I ended my year reading a total of 98 books, which surpassed my 2020 book goal of 75. I again set this year’s goodreads goal for 75 books, which seems doable. While December seems so long ago, I’m sharing my reads from last month. It was a mixed bag of different genres and mostly good reads. Here are my December reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly book linkup:

3 stars:

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Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam (October 2020, Suspense/Thriller) – A family leaves NYC for a week and rents a house out in a remote part of Long Island. A few nights into their stay the couple who owns the house arrive on the doorstep with news of a blackout in the city. Strange things start happening, but with no TV, internet or cell service, no one has any idea what is going on. This book was disappointing. I have no idea why it’s labeled suspense/thriller and even horror on goodreads. I’m not going to give away spoilers, but I hated the ending.

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The Girl In The Mirror by Rose Carlyle (October 2020, Suspense/Thriller) – Two identical twins, one who has always been jealous of the other. Now she has the opportunity, to live her twin’s life and gain a huge inheritance. But can she keep the truth from being exposed? This was an okay, not very believable read for the most part. But it did have some interesting plot twists.

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White Ivy by Susie Yang (November 2020, Contemporary/Suspense/Literary Fiction) – A coming age of story of a young Chinese girl who tries to fit in white suburban American. She develops a crush on a classmate, who ends up making a reappearance in her adult life. There are several plot twists, but I would not categorize this as a suspenseful read. In fact, it was such a slow read for me that I wish that I had given up on it earlier than making myself finish it.

4 stars:

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In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (October 2020, holiday/romance) – A young woman makes a plea to the universe, “Please. Show me what will make me happy.” At the annual family and friends holiday get together at a cabin in Utah, she ends up in a loop where she relives the same holiday vacation over and over. This was a cute holiday romance read. I hadn’t read a Christina Lauren book in awhile and think I’m ready to get back into some of their more recent books that I had skipped.

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Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (October 2017, Middle Grade/Fantasy) – On the night she is supposed to die a young girl finds herself being whisked away to Nevermoor. There she discovers that she has been selected to compete for a spot in the exclusive Wundrous Society and must pass the four trials. This book has been compared to Harry Potter and I can vaguely see the connection. It’s a fun and whimsical read. I couldn’t interest my son in reading it, but I may continue the series.

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When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal (July 2019, Contemporary Fiction) – A woman thinks that her sister is dead. But then she sees her on a news clip. So she travels from California to New Zealand to try to track her down. Will she find her? The book alternates between the two sisters POV as we discover their tragic past and secrets that they are keeping. This was an engrossing and enjoyable read.

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You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (June 2020, YA/LGBT) – A poor, black teen has big plans to go to college to become a doctor and continue playing music. But financial aid is not providing enough money for her to attend. One of the few options she has is to try to win the scholarship for Prom Queen, despite the fact that there has never been a black or queer queen in the school’s history. This book portrays modern teen life in a realistic manner. I’m jealous of the diverse YA books available to teens today, so I have to read some of them!

Five on Friday {Ready for the Weekend!}

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Happy Friday! Is everyone else ready for the weekend too?! This weekend was busy with a LOT of errand running. I’m in charge of the fall product sales for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. I had to pick up the troop’s orders and sort them so that parents could come pick them up. This week I had to run to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine to give to my co-worker for her 50th birthday. I got carded when I went to pay! Add in a library pick up, a stop at Walmart and a stop at Kohl’s and it’s been a busy week.

Last night was the first night of Hanukkah. Dana is half-Jewish and we normally celebrate Hanukkah with his mom’s side of the family….but obviously not this year. Since he and my son had Tae Kwon Do Thursday night, we are going to make latkes either tonight or tomorrow to celebrate.

The weather isn’t looking great for Saturday, so we are not sure yet what we will be doing. Our school district has gone fully remote until January. Being home all this time has been rough for the kids, so I like to get them out of the house on the weekend. Here are five from this week:

1. Cooking – My daughter requested Gigi’s (Hadid) Pasta that is trending on TikTok. Of course I told her that she had to help make it. We made some minor tweaks to this recipe and I have to admit it was pretty good!

One of our favorite meals this week was this Vegan Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup. We used Sausageless Sausage from Trader Joe’s. It doesn’t look like much from the picture, but it was delicious!

2. Watching – It is a family tradition to watch Elf every December. We watched it this past weekend and it is STILL so funny! What is your favorite Christmas movie?

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3. Reading – I am slowly making my way through White Ivy. It was very hard to get into, but I’m about halfway through and it’s picked up. I have a fun looking holiday read that I’m looking forward to next!

4. Shopping – Sunday we visited the White Plains Holiday Market. We bought some treats from Flour Power and I got a candle from Two Knit Wits.

5. Eating – We made a stop at The Hummus and Pita Co. and enjoyed a Vegan Shawarma Bowl and a Falafel Laffel.

We ate these donuts from Beascakes Bakery after I found out they had sold out of Hot Cocoa Bombs.

We are enjoying Jingle Jangle from Trader Joes. It’s a delicious mix of milk chocolate and dark chocolate covered pretzels, dark chocolate covered caramel popcorn, chocolate covered Joe-Joe’s cookies, milk and dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups and milk chocolate gems.

6. Hot Cocoa Bombs – I wrote my Hot Cocoa Bombs blog post and mentioned not being able to get any in time, since most have to be pre-ordered. Jane Street Sweets reached out to me and offered to deliver me some! As I’m writing this post, we haven’t tried any yet. But we are super excited to! They have 4 different varieties: classic chocolate, gingerbread, cookies n’ cream and peppermint.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I shared Where in Westchester County you can get Hot Cocoa Bombs.

Tuesday I shared my November Reads.

Wednesday I posted the newest edition of Westchester Weekly.

Sharing with Friday Favorites. Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday {It’s Fall Y’all!}

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Happy Friday and happy fall!  I am all about all things pumpkin spice, cozy sweaters and fall foliage!   This is such a fun time of year! School is going well for the kids. My daughter is loving high school! Last night we attended virtual back-to-school night for my son, who is in 7th grade. I have to say, I kind of enjoyed “attending” from my couch, wearing my pajamas! We are looking forward to a three day weekend. Happy Yom Kippur to those who celebrate. Here are five from this week:

1.  Supper Club Picnic – We finally got to see the other couples from our supper club!  The last time we had gotten together was in February, pre-pandemic.  Sunday we met up at the Kensico Dam and enjoyed a picnic lunch. It was a beautiful day with great company!

After our get together, our family walked along the dam and visited the 9/11 memorial, the Rising.

2. Shopping – Last Saturday we took our daughter shopping at Plato’s Closet.  She has become a big fan of thrifting and second hand shopping.  Me and my wallet are not complaining!  

Joanna Teplin, left, and Clea Shearer

Photograph: Christopher Patey/Netflix

3. Watching – This week I watched the first episode of both The Home Edit and Sing On on Netflix.  The Home Edit has gotten me wanting to organize ALL the things! I will be checking out some of their books for sure for some more ideas. Sing On is a karaoke singing competition show, hosted by Tituss Burgess, from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  It’s a fun show that I can watch while doing other things.

4. Eating – This week we went to The Hummus and Pita Company while we were shopping in Brookfield, CT. Their vegan Shwarma is tasty and we love all the sides!

For our supper club picnic I made roasted eggplant sandwiches with roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, tomato, fresh mozzarella and some balsamic vinegar.

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5.Reading –  I am currently reading The Last Flight by Julie Clark. This suspense book had me interested from the very beginning. I’m hoping to have it finished by the end of the weekend.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted shared 7 Fall Weekend Getaways.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday {Another Year Older}

Happy Friday!   This was a great week.  My birthday was Wednesday. As I’ve gotten older, I’m really not into making a big deal about the day.  Especially, when it falls on a Wednesday during a pandemic! But for the first time ever I took the day off of work!  Work has still been crazy busy and I just didn’t want to have to a stressful day!  Here are five from this week:

1. Apple Picking – It’s a little early in the season, but last weekend we went apple picking at Soons Orchards, a new-to-us orchard in New Hampton, NY (Orange County). This was a no frills experience, but the apples are delicious and we had a great time!

2. Shopping – On the way home from apple picking we stopped at Woodbury Common Outlet Center to do some back-to-school shopping. There were some pretty good sales and the kids got some stuff for school. We have another shopping trip planned this weekend.

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3. Watching – This week I watched the documentary Social Dilemma. It was very eye-opening on how damaging social media is. It’s kind of crazy how these social media companies manipulate us users.

4. Eating – One of our favorite dinners that I cooked this week was this Banh Mi Pizza.

This Burrata Salad that I had as an appetizer at Farmers and Chefs for my birthday lunch was delicious!

Apples, apples apples! We have sooo many apples from apple picking. I am going to have to cook/bake with them.

You can’t go apple picking and not get cider donuts. Unfortunately, these weren’t hot and fresh. But we did get some powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and plain ones for our annual cider donut fix.

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5.Reading – This week I started reading An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena. This is one of the few books by the author that I haven’t read yet, so wanted to give it a try.

6. Birthday – I started my day off getting a haircut. Then my husband and I stopped at Half Time in Poughkeepsie and we stocked up on craft ciders (for me) and beer (for him). We enjoyed lunch at a new-to-us restaurant, Farmers and Chefs that has been on my want to try list. My husband took my son to his Boy Scout meeting and had to stay for a mandatory parent meeting. So we had a late dinner of Chinese takeout when they got home, with strawberry shortcake for dessert. I am very hopeful that this next year will be a great one!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted about Clover Brooke Farm Llama Alpaca Hike.

Thursday I wrote about apple picking at Soons Orchards.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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August 2020 Reads

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Summer is officially over and today is the first day of school for the kiddos. It’s also Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup. August was another great reading month for me. Out of the 10 books I read, they were all 4 star reads except for one! I’m not sure if I’m being more selective about which books I read, but I’m not going to complain. Here are my August 2020 Reads:

3 stars:

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Good Girls Lie by J. T. Ellison – (suspense, December 2019) A student at an elite, all-girls boarding school in Virginia is found dead. Was it suicide or murder? I found this book so unbelievable, yet had to finish it to see what happened.

4 stars:

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Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins – (Contemporary Fiction, June 2020) A couple are married for almost fifty years. The husband is bike riding when he gets hit by a car and ends up having a stroke. During this time the wife discovers a secret he’s been keeping from her. Meanwhile their two adult daughters are facing struggles of their own. This book shows all the messiness and complications of family dynamics. This is only the second book that I’ve read by this author, but I have to read more of her stuff.

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Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane Rosen – (Contemporary Fiction, June 2020) An online moderator for a women’s parenting forum starts a rumor after she learns of a rival online parenting group. Unfortunately, this rumor has major consequences for some women. I was interested in this book since it takes place in the Hudson Valley and I actually live in the Hudson Valley. I wasn’t sure what to expect before reading this. But it was really enjoyable. The characters were all likable and there was a lot more depth and emotion to the book than I thought there would be.

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A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight – (suspense, May 2020) Described as Big Little Lies meets Presumed Innocent. A lawyer gets a call from a college friend who is accused of murdering his wife. While she tries to help him, her own marriage is slowly falling apart. This was a fast paced thriller that had me guessing until the end.

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The Guest List by Lucy Foley – (suspense/thriller, June 2020) The most perfectly planned wedding is taking place on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. Except nothing is turning out as the bride expected and then someone ends up dead. Although I didn’t really like any of the characters the story itself kept me reading.

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Pachinko by Min Jin Lee – (historical fiction, February 2017) In early 1900’s Korea a young woman is impregnated by a wealthy man she falls in love with. But he’s married with kids. A sick minister staying at her mother’s boarding house offers to wed her and the two move to Japan. The story covers a span of over 50 years. I learned so much about Koreans living in Japan during this time period.

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Pretty Things by Janelle Brown – (suspense, April 2020) Two young women get involved in a game of deceit. One a petty swindler has her eye on conning the other, a heiress and Instagram influencer. But of course, things don’t go as planned. This was a good, suspense book and I read it’s being turned into an Amazon series adaptation starring Nicole Kidman.

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Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim – (YA Fantasy, July 2019) This YA fantasy book is described as Project Runway meets Mulan. A teen girl who is an excellent tailor pretends to be a boy so she can compete to try to become a Royal Tailor to the Imperial Majesty. This is the first book in a series. My teen daughter read and enjoyed this so I gave it a try and liked it as well.

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The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman -(Contemporary Fiction, April 2019) A woman inherits her family’s cottage. She leaves her cheating husband, quits her job and attempts to renovate the cottage into a bed and breakfast. This was a touching, light summer read. I’ve enjoyed all of Shipman’s books that I’ve read.

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The Young Elites by Marie Lu – (YA Fantasy, October 2014) Ten years ago a deadly blood fever left some teens with special powers. These “young elites” are targeted by the king to be destroyed before they destroy the country. One new elite just discovered her power but it may be too dark for even the Young Elites. This was a YA fantasy book that we’ve had sitting unread on our bookshelf for ages. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. This is also the first book in a series.

You may also enjoy these posts:

July 2020 Reads

June 2020 Reads

May 2020 Reads