Month: May 2022

2022-05-10T11:01:00

(BPT) – Put a little spring in your step — and rosé in your wine glasses — with these fabulous finds to celebrate the warm weather. Rosé is light, refreshing and versatile, the perfect pink-hued partner for food, fun and, of course, flowers.

Rosé wine is made by allowing red wine grapes to stay in contact with the juice for a short amount of time at the beginning of the wine-making process, which creates bright and balanced flavor that pairs beautifully with a wide array of dishes.

“Don’t be afraid to try different things than you might otherwise,” says Theo Rutherford, a sommelier, wine expert, and drinks educator with Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. “Rosé goes well with a lot of foods including fish, fresh veggies and maybe even a little fruit. It might surprise some people that it also goes really well with red meat, pasta, spices and other bold flavors.”

Here are Rutherford’s top selections for spring and summer:

Picnicking in the Park

Fleurs de Prairie, which translates as “wildflowers”, celebrates the beautiful fields of flowers carpeting the South of France. This region benefits from an idyllic combination of sun, wind and sea. Fleurs de Prairie is a pale salmon color, with delicate flavors of red fruit and lemon, and a subtle note of tropical fruits on the finish. The beautiful bottle will elevate any summer picnic and the wine pairs well with casual picnic foods, such as sandwiches, charcuterie, and cheese.

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Giving the Bride Away

Love is in the air — and wine — with Josh Cellars Prosecco Rosé. Josh Cellars was created in gratitude for a father. It is fitting for walks down the aisle and all the teary-eyed toasts to follow. This sparkling wine is produced in Italy, offering fresh wild berry and blackberry notes, complemented by refreshing acidity and effervescence.

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For anyone looking for a signature cocktail at a summer wedding, Josh Cellars Prosecco Rosé also provides a new twist on a classic French 75 cocktail. Combine 1.5 parts Gray Whale Gin, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part simple syrup and 1 part Prosecco Rosé. Gray Whale Gin marries beautifully with the bubbly in this celebratory drink. Plus, you can feel good serving and enjoying it as every bottle of Gray Whale Gin benefits ocean conservation.

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Streaming Rom Coms

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon on the couch with your favorite romantic comedy and [ yellow tail ] Rosé. This wine is crisp and delicate, blossoming with juicy strawberries and cherry flavors. Unlike a movie plot, there’s nothing complicated about this easy-to-enjoy wine. It pairs perfectly with lingering kisses, getting caught in the rain and hot buttered popcorn.

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Following a Farmers Market

Made by a third-generation winemaker and sourced from 30-year-old vines in France’s Loire Valley Region, Sauvion Rosé d’Anjou is bursting with ripe strawberry and red currant aromas with hints of mint. The palate is off dry, highlighted with fresh strawberry and red cherry flavors, balanced by bright acidity and a long, lingering finish. It goes great with all your farmers market finds, including all the delicious, fresh vegetables you find during the summer.

“Think about how much sweetness your wine shows,” says Rutherford. “If it is a sweeter style, think about pairing it with something that has some heat to it, as it will cut the heat and balance the dish out.”

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Watching Your Garden Grow

Kick back, relax and let Mother Nature do her thing. Château Bonnet Rosé is made from grapes grown on 52 acres of sustainably farmed estate vineyards in France’s famed Bordeaux region. This beautifully pale pink rosé has intense aromas of white peach and pink grapefruit, with light honeysuckle notes. The wine is round and smooth on the palate, with refreshing acidity that carries the fruit on a long finish. This versatile wine pairs well with all kinds of food, including a classic French loaf with jam or honey.

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Savoring the Sunshine

Say “Yes, please!” to warmer weather with a “Frosé”. Make it by blending together the #1 rosé in the country, Josh Cellars Rosé, with frozen strawberries, peaches or raspberries. Sweeten to taste with simple syrup. Frozen fruit is always in season and prevents the drink from getting watered down by ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy.

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2022-05-10T08:01:00

(BPT) – Did you know that one in five American adults are unpaid caregivers? That means approximately 53 million people actively care for family members or friends, most often because that loved one simply needs daily care. If you’re one of them, you know that taking care of someone else can be physically and mentally taxing, demanding a lot from you every day. On top of this, you may also live with your own chronic pain and find your symptoms flaring up — an often-overlooked aspect of the job. In fact, 94% of caregivers report experiencing musculoskeletal pain, which could potentially be from osteoarthritis (OA).

According to the CDC, more than 32 million adults in the U.S. have OA, a degenerative disease that causes chronic pain, stiffness and swelling in joints such as the hands, wrists, knees and ankles. For caregivers who also have OA, it might be difficult to provide care to others while they are already experiencing daily pain and discomfort themselves.

How is osteoarthritis treated?

While there is no cure for OA, there are a variety of ways to help manage symptoms, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications and physical therapy. It’s important to consult your healthcare provider, who can offer options depending on your unique situation.

However, there are also a number of steps that caregivers who may be experiencing OA can take to alleviate some of their daily pain and discomfort.

Tips for caring for your joints and relieving pain

1. Keep moving — gently

While the experience of pain may initially make you feel less comfortable with the idea of regular movement, the Arthritis Foundation notes that activities that are gentle on your joints — such as swimming, hiking or biking — can actually help you feel better over time. Even low-impact exercise like a short walk can make a difference for your pain levels. If it’s hard to get moving on your own, consider finding a walking buddy or joining an exercise class that can keep you motivated to move.

2. Use a topical, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory gel to relieve arthritis pain

One effective option for treating arthritis pain is Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel, the first prescription-strength, over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory gel for arthritis pain. The active ingredient in Voltaren Gel is diclofenac sodium, an effective medicine that is clinically proven to relieve joint pain, reduce stiffness and improve mobility. You apply the gel directly to the site of your pain associated with arthritis to deliver pain relief for your hand, wrist, elbow, foot, ankle or knee — so you can move better and accomplish what you need and want to do each day.

3. Try a heat pack

According to the Arthritis Foundation, many people with osteoarthritis find that regularly applying a heat pack to the area or areas where they experience pain can bring soothing, temporary relief.

4. Make the most of physical therapy

If your healthcare provider recommends physical therapy, try to incorporate your assigned therapy exercises into your daily routine in short intervals. Per the Arthritis Foundation, regular, brief muscle-strengthening exercises developed by your therapist can help protect your targeted joints.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

As a caregiver, it’s all too easy to put others ahead of yourself. But it’s hard to take it all on your shoulders when you are experiencing pain. Reach out to others in your family or social circle for support and assistance — or even just a rest when you need it — to allow you a little time to take care of yourself.

Everything that you do to care for those who need you every day is important, and so are you. As a caregiver, don’t forget to care for your own needs, too. Following these tips can help you feel your best, so you can continue making a difference in the lives of your loved ones.

2022-05-09T08:01:00

(BPT) – Does being new make a home safe from fire? Absolutely not. In fact, all unprotected home fires burn hotter than ever today and become deadly in just two minutes or less. Buying into this common myth puts you and your family at great risk.

Homes burn fast for many reasons, from open design to building materials to their contents. On top of that, much of today’s home furnishings are made from synthetic, polyurethane-based materials, which cause fires to spread more quickly and produce toxic smoke.

You can see for yourself how quickly a home fire becomes deadly by watching a new virtual reality video developed by the nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC). Shot live during actual home fires, the new videos provide user-controlled, 360-degree room views of fires without and with an installed fire sprinkler. You’ll be able to look all around you to experience the fires and the sprinkler activation in real time, as if you were inside. The free videos are available at HomeFireSprinkler.org/VR.

In the video without a sprinkler, the flames and smoke spread fast, reaching flashover at about 2 minutes. Flashover is when every combustible surface catches on fire, consuming the space. No one is able to survive flashover. Thanks to virtual reality, the video of the flashover provides powerful, first-person perspective on how little time people actually have to escape a home fire.

The video with an installed sprinkler tells a very different story. Although the smoke alarm signals at about the same time as the unsprinklered room, (26 seconds into the fire), the heat from the fire activates the sprinkler at the 37-second mark, dramatically changing the outcome. This fast action prevents the growth of the flames and spread of the smoke, stopping the fire from becoming deadly.

A third video provides a comparison of damage in the two fires, illustrating another benefit of installed fire sprinklers: property protection.

There are many myths and misconceptions about home fire sprinklers. Here are the most common misbeliefs and the facts from the experts at HFSC.

Myth: Smoke activates a home fire sprinkler

Fact: Home fire sprinklers are not designed to detect smoke. Home fire sprinklers activate when high heat from the fire is detected. They cannot be activated by smoke alarms, nor from smoke when you burn something cooking.

Myth: Every sprinkler turns on when there’s a fire

Fact: If a fire occurs, the sprinkler closest to it activates automatically, in response to the high heat from a fire. That controls and often extinguishes the flames, reduces the spread of toxic and damaging smoke, and provides time for residents to escape. When sprinklers are present, fire is kept to the room of origin 96% of the time, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Myth: Fire sprinklers cause extensive damage

Fact: Fire sprinklers automatically flow water to control or extinguish a fire. The damage from an activating sprinkler will be far less than damage from flames, smoke and fire suppression in a home without fire sprinklers. When firefighters respond, the typical fire hose produces roughly 250 gallons of water per minute, under high pressure. A home fire sprinkler flows at 15 gallons per minute.

Myth: Fire sprinklers just protect home residents

Fact: Installing home fire sprinklers protects residents, property and the firefighters who respond to fires in these structures. According to the NFPA, the 2021 civilian fire death rate was 89% lower in structures with installed fire sprinklers. The rate of firefighter injuries was 60% lower in fires with sprinklers than in fires without sprinklers. If you’re planning to build or buy a new home, ask for home fire sprinklers.

2022-05-09T09:03:00

(BPT) – No one enjoys seeing plastic floating in lakes and streams. No one likes seeing it crushed and filthy on the roadside. Almost everywhere it ends up, plastic waste is unwelcome. Even at the recycling plant.

The EPA reports less than 10% of plastics in the United States get recycled. Some plastics get incinerated, but the majority winds up in a landfill. Frustratingly, the bulk of this is from single-use items that were destined, from the start, to be wasted.

Case in point: Liquid hand soap bottles

According to statista.com, more than 300 million U.S. consumers use liquid hand soap. Estimates of the number of discarded bottles this results in vary. Some place it around 600 million a year. Others estimate as high as 1.4 billion. Regardless, the result is thousands upon thousands of pounds of discarded plastic.

“We’ve found that most people are trying to be responsible and recycle,” says Christopher Gill, vice president of eco-friendly soap tablet brand Nature Lake. “Unfortunately, once those plastic bottles have been made, they’re unlikely to get through the recycling process and actually be repurposed.”

Consumer choices can make a difference

The best way to keep 1.4 billion plastic dispenser bottles out of landfills is to not make them in the first place. Consumers have power around this, particularly when purchasing habits change en masse. But selection and availability are key to making change possible.

Fortunately, there are multiple high-quality, easy-to-access alternatives available for liquid hand soap.

Option 1: Tablet-based liquid hand soap

This might be surprising, but the truth is, you don’t need to give up liquid hand soap to stop consuming it in single-use plastic bottles.

The Nature Lake foaming hand soap kit includes two reusable glass dispenser bottles with non-slip silicone sleeves and four tablets. To turn a tablet into soap, you simply fill the bottle with warm water and drop the tablet in. In minutes you have a full bottle of hand soap with only a small pouch to discard.

“Tablet-based products require less fuel to ship, take up less storage space and never result in a wasted plastic bottle,” Gill explains. “We truly believe tablets are the future of sustainable personal care and cleaning.”

Option 2: Artisan soap bars

Solid artisan soap bars are a fun option, in part because the sky’s the limit on colors and scents. From neon pink cupcake shapes to sparkly bars with elaborate motifs, if you can think it, you can probably find an artisan selling it.

Of course, the drawback to artisan soap bars is availability. It can be tricky to find a soap maker with a formula you like and your desired scent or design consistently in stock. You’ll also want to invest in a soap dish, unless you like chasing down runaway bars.

Option 3: Bulk bar soap

For those who like it old school, bulk bar soap is another option. These mass-manufactured bars are inexpensive and readily available. However, their cardboard boxes often come sealed with plastic, which hurts their sustainability case.

Pro tip: before committing to a bulk pack of 12 or 24 bars, try buying just one bar to be sure you’re happy with how the formula feels and smells. That way you’re not stuck with a year’s supply of soap you don’t like.

Single-use plastic can be a thing of the past

It’s encouraging to see how many eco-friendly and affordable alternatives to disposable bottles of liquid hand soap are available. As movement toward conscientious, earth-friendly consumption grows, it seems more than plausible that tablet-based hand soap could be the way of the future.

2022-05-09T09:01:00

(BPT) – Summer vacations are an excellent opportunity to unwind, bond with your family and make memories. Summer is also one of the most popular times to travel, so it’s time to start planning to make sure you can secure your ideal destination.

However, planning a family getaway can be challenging, especially if your family members are of different ages and have different interests. If you haven’t planned one before, or it’s been awhile since your last family vacation, it can be a bit daunting to know where to start.

Here are three tips for planning a summer getaway everyone in the family is sure to enjoy.

1. Brainstorm together

Start planning your trip by brainstorming ideas together as a family. Consider where you’ve already visited and what kind of experiences you’ve had. Are there any places you want to revisit? What did you like or dislike about previous vacations? What locations do you want to visit and which experiences do you want to enjoy?

Brainstorming your family vacation will likely involve several conversations before picking a destination. Have each family member list their top destinations and activities. If there’s any overlap, you’ll find it easier to narrow your vacation list.

2. Pick your destination

Once you have a clear picture of what your family wants out of your vacation, it’s time to pick a spot! While you may not be able to accommodate everyone’s desires, you can choose a destination that provides a variety of activities. Resorts are an excellent choice for a family vacation because they offer several attractions and experiences. With so many choices, vacation planning is simplified.

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, home of America’s largest indoor waterparks, has everything your family will enjoy under one roof. All resort locations feature well-appointed guest rooms, a full-service spa, a family entertainment center, on-site signature restaurants, unique retail shops and a state-of-the-art convention center.

“Make this the best summer yet for your loved ones with a trip they won’t forget,” said Todd Nelson, CEO and owner of Kalahari Resorts. “From the adventure-seeker to the foodie to the spa-lover, there is something for everyone at Kalahari Resorts.”

3. Getting there

Now that you’ve picked your destination, it’s time to consider transport. How far are you willing to travel? Do you have young children or grandparents who will need travel accommodations? Do you prefer to drive, take a train or fly? These are all important questions to ask yourself and your family when planning your summer vacation.

One of the most classic summer family vacation experiences is road trips, and there are plenty of benefits too. You can make stops along the way to your destination to stretch your legs and see the sites on your route.

Kalahari Resorts offers convenient, drivable locations for many families with four locations across the nation (Wisconsin Dells, WI; Sandusky, OH; Poconos Mountains, PA; and Round Rock, TX). From the comfort of your family’s car, you can start making memories as soon as you hit the road.

It’s time to start planning your summer family getaway! Use these three tips to plan a summer vacation your family won’t soon forget.