As the drought continues, one of the most meaningful gifts we can share this season is reducing our water use at home.
Wash Full Loads in Dishwasher Instead of handwashing dishes, load up your dishwasher and wash full loads to maximize water savings. Ditch prewashing your dishes and scrape your plate before placing items in the dishwasher.
Recycle Water Used for Food Prep Save water used from steaming and boiling holiday food favorites and use to water trees and gardens outdoors.
Run Full Laundry Loads Save water, time and energy washing full loads of your favorite holiday sweaters and cozy blankets. Take 5-minute Showers and Turn Off Water When Brushing Teeth Being a “water scrooge” is a good move when it comes to taking 5-minute showers and switching off water when you brush your teeth.
Iknow many people who enjoy celebrat ing holidays in Hawaii, Mexico or Las Ve gas. However, I am partial to traditional snow-covered “Holly Jolly Sleigh Ride” set tings.
However, if you don’t have a 4WD and are not a fan of snow and ice, California also offers some beautiful and special getaways that celebrate the holidays in unique settings.
One of the advantages of living in California is that you can have it all, snow or sun!
If you want full wintry Christmas experience your best bet is to head to Lake Tahoe. It’s a place made to have a magical Christmas.
There’s actually a Hallmark Christmas mov ie, “Christmas in Tahoe,” (2021) that was inspired by an album of the same name by the band Train. However, the movie was actually filmed in Canada.
If you are unfamiliar with the Lake Tahoe area it comprises the areas of North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe with many different small towns and communities. Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains straddling the border between Nevada and California you can choose from casinos, quiet Alpine relaxation or night life and adventure.
Among the activities and sights to experience:
1 The 70-foot-tall Christmas tree in the Heavenly Village will light up Tahoe’s south shore every day at 5:30 p.m.
1 Ice skating is a great holiday activity.
South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena, 1176 Rufus Allen Blvd, South Lake Tahoe 96150
Heavenly Village Ice Rink, 1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe 96150. This rink is deco rated with lights, strung above the ice. Try some nighttime ice skating under the stars.
1 Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) and Alpine Meadows transform into a winter wonder land with holiday decorations, visits from Santa, ice sculpture demonstrations, a Merry Wonderland Ice Garden.
The Resort at Squaw Creek, 400 Squaw Creek Road, Olympic Valley 96146, is home to a giant gingerbread village. These gingerbread structures are nearly life-sized standing 4-5 feet tall held
together by frosting and sugar confec tions, and adorned with edible decora tions.
1 Noel Nights at Northstar California Resort, 5001 Northstar Drive, Truckee 96161, Dec. 9-17.
The resort will be offering horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating, s’mores and hot chocolate by the fire pits. Santa will also be visiting the resort every day until Christmas eve.
1 Granlibakken Tahoe, 725 Granlibak ken Road, Tahoe City 96145. This Christmas Eve event features a Torchlight Parade at 5 p.m. Gather fam ily and friends for this free memorable celebration as Santa and his elves arrive on the historic Tucker Snow Cat with its trailer on sleds. Holiday gifts are hand ed out to children, and then skiers with torches come down the hill with music playing for a spectacular show. It will be followed by s’mores eating, hot choco late sipping and pictures with Santa.
Christmas Day Buffet begins at 6 p.m. at the Gran libakken Main Lodge. It features a Christmas Day meal like no other. Granlibakken’s Norwegian-style menu is served buffet style and everything is made by their award-winning culinary team using favor ite family recipes. For more information visit granli bakken.com.
10 Pacific Way, Muir Beach 94965 Info www.pelicaninn.com
This is a “bucket list” Christmas destination. If you’ve ever wanted to spend the holidays at an old English country inn, The Pelican Inn is the place. It is so popular at Christmas that reservations are book months in advance.
What makes this destination holiday getaway so special is the attention to detail and the feeling you’ve escaped to the 16th century English coun tryside, with modern amenities.
The Pelican is steeped in the aura of British hos telry with the fellowship of its Tudor bar, country cooking and comfortable four-poster beds.
‘80s
500 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, 92648 Info www.shorebreakhotel.com
If you want to stay close to home, but still get that ski lodge vibe then a stay in the heart of Orange County might be what you’re looking for. Wake up to stunning pier and ocean views while getting nostalgic this holiday season at the Pier Summit Ski Lodge, a 1980s-themed pop-up bar at the Kimpton Shorebreak Resort in Huntington Beach.
Open now to mid-January 2023, Pier Summit Ski Lodge welcomes snow bunnies and shredders Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5-10 p.m. Trans port to the past with neon hues, kitschy ‘80s trade marks, a life-size yeti and outfitted staff in retro ski garb. Experience authentic winter chalet dining complete with European fare.
Choose from cocktails such as the Don’t Eat Yel low Snow and Hot Toddy Time Machine.
Open to the public, guests can expect unique activations and programming indicative of the de cade like monthly-themed Jazzercise classes and live music.
There’s no better feeling during the holidays than finding the perfect gift for family and friends. The most special gifts of all are those that are handmade with thoughtfulness and love.
As the days tick down before gifts must be given, and opened, there is still time to create special, unique gifts.
Next year you might think of start ing that special family recipe book, or a collection of “year in review” photos, but this year you’ll find you can be a gift-giving hero with these special and easy handmade, or “hand curated” gifts.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy opening up a gift box or bag of goodies. Show your loved ones how much you care by “hand curating” a bag or box of some of their favor ite snacks, beverages and “comfort” items.
It doesn’t have to include anything you made yourself, but if you know your recipient loves your homemade chocolate chip cookies, it won’t hurt to bake up a batch just for them.
Start with a plush throw blanket, add in a variety of bagged snacks like chips, cookies, popcorn, dried fruit and/or pepperoni or salami sticks.
Find a mug decorated with a theme or interest that appeals to your giftee, like a mug decorated with fish for a fisherman or with flowers for a gar dener.
Include tea or coffee depending on the tastes of your giftee, alcohol, soda or sparking water and a selection of DVDs of films or TV seasons, music CDs or an e-reader preloaded with books by their fa vorite author. Show your love by show ing how much you know about what makes them happy.
For the epicure an in the family a gift of homemade infused vinegar is a beautiful expression of good taste. Not only are infused vinegars pretty to look at, they add zest to salad dress ings, sautéed vegetables, and meat marinades. Since vinegar is high in acid, it’s safe and easy to make an in fused vinegar at home.
1 cup raspberries
2 cups white or wine vinegar
Wash 1 cup fresh raspberries in clean water. Bruise raspberries lightly and place in sterilized quart jar. Heat vinegar to just below boiling (190°F). Pour over raspberries in jar and cap tightly. Allow to stand two to three weeks in cool, dark place. Strain mixture through a fine meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth into a 2-cup glass measuring cup, pressing firmly on the solids to ex tract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Pour vinegar into a clean pint jar. To sterilize empty jars, put them right side up in a tall pot. Fill with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars.
Turn on the heat and boil 10 minutes. In the warm jars pour in your vinegar, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator. Makes 1 pint.
Use fresh herbs, spices and fruit. It’s fun to experiment with different combinations. Herbs Try basil, chive (blossoms), dill, lavender, marjoram, mint, nasturtium (blossoms), oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, and/or thyme.
Add 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh herbs per pint of vinegar. If fresh herbs aren’t avail able, substitute 3 tablespoons of dried herbs.
Spices Try all spice berries, bay leaves, capers, cin namon sticks, whole cloves, corian der, cumin seeds, garlic cloves, fresh ginger, peppercorns, and/or mustard seed. Avoid ground spices, as they will cloud the vinegar.
The amount to use will depend on the spice; in general, allow ½ to 2 tea spoons of smaller spices, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, or 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks per pint of vinegar.
Fruit Fruits often used to flavor vinegars include strawberries, rasp berries, pears, peaches and the peel of oranges or lemons. Allow the peel of one orange or lemon or 1 to 2 cups of fruit per pint of vinegar flavored.
Use high-quality vinegar. Think about what color you would like to have as a base, as different vinegars and ingredients will affect the liquids’ hue. Also consider taste.
Fruits blend well with apple cider vinegar.
For delicately flavored herbs and fruit, consider distilled white vinegar.
For stronger-flavor spices, herbs, and vegetables, such as garlic, rose mary, or tarragon, try red-wine vin egars.
In warm, sterilized jars, add the flavoring ingredients. Pour the vin egar into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch at the top. To draw out flavor, some cooks prefer to heat the vinegar to around 190°F, but not boiling, before pouring it into the
jars. Cap tightly.
Allow to stand in a cool, dark area for three to four weeks so flavor can develop. Shake the contents every few days. When the desired flavor is reached, use damp cheesecloth or a coffee filter to strain the vinegar until it is clear. Discard the flavoring ingre dients.
Pour the vinegar into clean, steril ized jars or bottles and add a sprig or two of fresh herbs or a small amount of fruit, or spices for decoration. Cap and seal tightly.
Flavored vinegars will last six to eight months in the refrigerator or two to three months in a cool room.
For the ladies in your life try gifting them a homemade sugar scrub.
If you haven’t made yourself a homemade sugar scrub yet, you will be surprised at how soft and smooth it will make your skin.
It’s remarkably easy to make and works wonders on dry skin.
This sugar scrub recipe is moistur izing and simple to make.
Use the scrub to exfoliate dry skin and as a moisturizer.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup organic coconut oil
Zest of one orange
Combine well. Add more oil if the mixture is too dry. Can be used im mediately.
Put into a pint-size Mason jar and tie with a pretty bow.
If you want to make different sugar scrubs try adding a few drops of es sential oils instead of the orange zest.
Try lavender, chamomile, gerani um, tea tree or peppermint oils.
Astaple during the holidays in many Latino households is the iconic tamales at the dinner table, a treat that many families bond together making. A tamal is a corn flour dough surrounding a filling, wrapped in a corn husk and slowly steamed.
The origins of tamales date back to the Olmecs and Toltecs, prehistoric Mesoamerican civilizations that date thousands of years before the Aztecs.
Tamales historically have been stuffed with var ious items such as turkey, fish, or vegetables. The recipe for tamales has changed a bit in the past 500 years but predominantly remains unchanged.
Today’s tamales traditionally feature chicken, roasted peppers and cheese, or pork, and dessert tamales are commonly made with raisins. The festive food is given to family and friends, start ing around Thanksgiving but continuing through Christmas.
For more than two years, the Tamales Express has been owned and operated by husband and wife Romualdo and Yesenia Barrera. They offer tamales
Recipes varies by country, region and grandmother. There is no perfect recipe that will make everyone happy, but this recipe is designed for beginners who want to try one of the most popular varieties of tamales.
Tamal dough
1 package of corn husks
1 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 cup of broth (Use the water from boiled chicken)
2 cups of corn flour (also called masa harina or maseca)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
1 pound tomatillos
2 cups water
1 white onion
1 poblano chili
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
The corn husks must be soaked for 30 minutes and cleaned of any leftover corn hairs. After soak
year-round and have a food truck used for special events and catering in Santa Clarita.
The business began one holiday season when
ing the husk, you set them aside to dry.
You can choose to boil or pan cook your chick en, but for this recipe, boiling is easiest. First, place chicken breast in boiling water; add salt and onions for taste. After 15 minutes of boiling chicken, set the chicken to cool and shred with a fork.
Combine the maseca masa mix, baking powder and salt. Stir into the vegetable shortening, adding more broth from the boiled chicken as necessary to form a spongy dough. You can add more mase ca mix if you add too much broth. A clump should float in a cup of water; if not, keep stirring.
You can boil, pan cook, or grill the peppers, but boiling the ingredients is faster and easier for this purpose.
Cut the tomatillos into quarters and peppers into slices. Dice garlic and onions. Add the ingredients to a boiling pot of water, add a teaspoon of salt and cook for 20 minutes or until peppers are soft. Drain the ingredients and place in a blender until ingre dients are well-blended and you have a bright green salsa. Finally, pour the salsa into the shredded chicken, mix and let the chicken marinate.
With a spoon, scoop the tamale dough and spread it on two-thirds of the inner husk; make sure the layer of dough is about a quarter-inch thick. Next, scoop the filling in the center of the dough-covered husk with a spoon.
Fold half of the tamal to cover the filling, then
Romualdo and Yesenia Barrera ate tamales made by Romualdo’s mother. They only ate tama les during Christmas but wanted to enjoy them
fold the other half; fold the bottom of the corn husk under your tamal. The spreading of dough and folding is the hardest part of making tamales and will require many attempts before mastering the skills of a grandmother with decades of experi ence making tamales.
Add a few cups of water to a traditional steam er pot and heat until water is hot. An old grand mother’s trick is to add a coin to the water. If you hear the coins rattling, that means there’s enough water. If you can’t hear the coins moving, then you need to add more water to the pot.
Place the rack in the steamer pot, gently plac ing your tamales into the steamer upright with the open part of the husk at the top.
Once you’ve added all of your tamales to the steamer, cover and steam over medium heat for 45 minutes or until cooked. Let tamales cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Optional Alternatively, using a slow cooker with a steamer setting can equally work. Apply the rec ommended amount of water for your multicooker, place the tamales upright and steam for 20 min utes. Check to see the dough is cooked and separat ing from the husk. You can also change the fillings to incorporate cheese or other favorite ingredi ents.
year-round, according to Romualdo.
“We love tamales, and that was one of the main reasons why we opened the restaurant because It wasn’t fair that you could only have it during the holidays,” Yesenia said.
The Barreras began researching and having their family taste test the items. Eventually, the business opened in 2019 but quickly filled a void for people wanting tamales outside of the holidays.
“Right now we’re making a thousand pounds of masa in two days,” Romualdo said.
Currently, Tamales Express offers beef in red and green sauce, chicken, pork tamales, chicharrón (fried pork belly), jalapeño and cheese tamales. Romualdo said there are times the business runs out, and it takes about three hours to make a batch of tamales, often selling out before the day is over. Even with increased production, it is still not enough.
“Monday through Thursday we make up to 1,200 tamales a day,” Romualdo said. “Friday, Saturday and Sunday we sell over 2,000.”
On Dec. 23 and 24, Tamales Express expects to sell 12,000 tamales in preorders alone and make an additional thousand for last-minute additions to
Located at 24330 Main St. in Newhall with more than two decades of operation, Jazmin’s offers many seasonal baked goods. The bak ery also makes tamales including the more common fillings and traditional Guerrero style. Varieties include jalapeño and cheese, pork in red sauce, chicken in green sauce and a chicken mole in a banana leaf. You can reach them on instagram at @ jazminsbakery.
Located at 23021 Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, the bakery makes many baked and fried goods and also sells tamales. The
orders.
Many times the food truck will have more tama les available, in addition to churros and specialty Mexican drinks. The Barreras advise preordering tamales and checking their social media page for more information: instagram.com/tamalesexpress_ scv.
business is also close to selling out of holiday preorders and advises placing a phone order in advance.
You can reach California Bakery & Cafe at (661) 255-1254.
Located at 18283 Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, Tamales Express offers tama les year-round and has a food truck used for special events and catering in Santa Clarita. For more than two years, the business has been owned and operated by husband and wife Ro mualdo and Yesenia Barrera.
If you’re planning to experience making tama les the traditional way with your family, Romualdo says to be in a good mood and have patience with the process.
“I would say don’t get frustrated if you’re new to making tamales,” Romualdo said. “I feel like it’s one of the toughest items to make, honestly.”
“If
— Arapaho Tribe ProverbWhen you look at the Santa Clarita com munity with its beautiful open spac es, thriving businesses and fami ly-friendly atmosphere, you see what years of planning and strong leader ship from our City Council created. While looking to our future, we must also look back and reflect on our rich and dynamic history. The Santa Clarita Public Library, in collaboration with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI) and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, aims to do just that through the integra tion and implementation of the Yawáyro: Indige nous Awareness and Literacy Development Pro gram.
Yawáyro means awareness in Tataviam, which is the binding element of this program. Through the
“Talk Story” grant from the American Indian Li brary Association, the City was able to work with members of the Fernandeño tribal office to cre ate “Yawáyro Kits.” These kits are available at each Santa Clarita Public Library branch and focus on fostering cultural awareness and literacy of Indig enous People through a curated selection of book titles, materials and even museum donations such as animal pelts and historical maps.
Through the development of these kits, our com munity can become better educated and aware of the people who originally inhabited these lands generations ago, but also showcase that many of their descendants are still living here today.
The Santa Clarita Public Library originally launched these kits in 2019, but through working relationships with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, we were able to incorporate curated Native American items such as bear teeth replicas, a deer hoof rattle, as well as multiple animal pelts.
All of these items and more were lent to the Li brary to allow community members to feel and en gage with Native American history. It is important for not only our children, but all of our community members to learn about our history and realize the
impact the Tataviam tribe has had on our City — in the past, present and into future.
By bringing awareness of Native American cul ture, specifically the Tataviam, we can help pro mote diversity right here in Santa Clarita. I am proud that the City Council proclaimed November 2022 as Native American Heritage Month, formal ly recognizing the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, and their impact on our commu nity. By fostering relationships with organizations like FTBMI, we can work together and continue to create a community that welcomes all cultures and embraces each of our differences.
I encourage all of our residents and schools to come and check out these Yawáyro Kits at each of our local Library branches. Library card holders can browse the different kits, which range from family and identity, to folklore and wisdom. To learn more about the Yawáyro Kits, or to check one out, please visit SantaClaritaLibrary.com or call (661) 259-0750.
Ken Striplin can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.com. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.
we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come.”
Cool winter days and their cold, crisp air call for a quick warmup in the form of a classic combo: soup and sandwich. Next time you need warmed up from the inside out, go for a homemade pairing that brings together a cheesy handheld and hearty minestrone.
When you sit down for a winter time meal with the family, Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets provides the comfort you crave with caramelized onions, gooey melted cheese and toasted sourdough. Slowly simmered to sa vory perfection, 3-Bean Tortellini Minestrone — powered by READ 3-Bean Salad — plays the ideal com plement to the griddled sandwiches as a filling soup without the hassle.
To find more comforting meal ideas made for combatting the cold, vis it AuntNellies.com and READSalads. com.
Recipe courtesy of “Carlsbad Cravings”
Prep time: 60 minutes
Caramelized Onions
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large yellow onions, halved, sliced 1/4inch thick
1-2 tablespoons water (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 large sourdough slices, 1/2-inch thick
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room tem perature
8 ounces shredded gruyere cheese, at room temperature
1 jar Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets (about 32 beets)
2 cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
To make caramelized onions: In Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes then reduce heat to medium.
Cook until onions are caramelized and rich, deep golden brown, about 25 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat to medium-low or add water if on ions are dry or start to scorch before caramelizing.
Add sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Onions should be jammy and darkly caramelized when done. Remove to plate to cool.
To make sandwiches: Spread out bread slices on flat surface. Spread thin layer of mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.
Turn four bread slices over and spread goat cheese on plain side. Top goat cheese with gruyere, even layer of beets, caramelized onions and arugula. Top with remaining bread, mayo side out. Secure with tooth picks, if desired.
In large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 table spoon olive oil. Add two sandwich es, cover and grill until bottom of bread is toasted, about 5-7 minutes, and cheese starts melting, checking often. Flip and cook, uncovered, until cheese is melted and bottom of bread is toasted.
Repeat with remaining sandwich es.
Recipe courtesy of “Joy of Eating”
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
1 can (15 ounces) READ 3-Bean Salad
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
3 peeled garlic cloves, minced
2 pinches salt, plus additional to taste, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste, divided
3 small carrots, trimmed, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
9-10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups baby spinach
jarred pesto, for serving (optional)
Drain and rinse bean salad; set aside.
In large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 pinch salt; saute until translu cent, 3-4 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, celery and zucchini with remaining pinch salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp tender, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes. Add Parmesan rind, if desired. Cook about 10 minutes until most tomato juice evaporates. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Add tortellini; cook 2 minutes, or just until tender. Stir in bean salad and spinach. Cook 2-3 minutes to heat through.
Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with pesto, if desired.
Not too long ago, when rock was about having a good time, letting your hair down and creating chaos and anar chy, four guys got together in Holly wood and formed a band. NYC guitarist Kristy Majors hooked up with west coast frontman Steve Summers and laid the foundation for their dream band.
They worked, wrote songs and played and played and played. The band chose the name Pretty Boy Floyd because it seemed to describe them — four
teen toughs armed with guitar licks and teenage angst who set out to conquer the world.
Pretty Boy Floyd landed on the cover of the metal bible Kerrang! And their two Top 20 vid eos “I Wanna Be With You” and “Rock And Roll Is Gonna Set the Night On Fire” hit MTV back when MTV ran videos instead of reality shows. The band
toured the world and was recognized as the kings of the Sunset Strip.
Having outlasted many of the critics who cried, “they’ll never make it,” Pretty Boy Floyd continues to record and tour the world.
You can see Pretty Boy Floyd live at The Canyon Santa Clarita on January 14. Tickets are available online through AXS, over the phone at (888) 6455006, and in person at the Canyon Santa Clarita box office. For more information, visit www.where musicmeetsthesoul.com.
‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (out of four)
Netflix presents a film written and di rected by Rian Johnson. Rated PG-13. In theaters and streams starting Dec. 23 on Netflix.
Blanc. Benoit Blanc. Daniel Craig played James Bond five times on his way to becoming one of the best Bonds ever, and that will always be a signature role for Craig — but wouldn’t it be something if Craig wound up playing the wonderfully eccentric Detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” franchise more times than he portrayed Bond? We’re going to get three Blanc movies for sure, from the delightfully subver sive and thoroughly amusing original in 2019, this week’s sequel and a third “Knives Out” movie already greenlit by Netflix — and in a recent interview with Total Film, Johnson expressed a willingness to keep on going, “as long as the two of us are still having fun, and as long as we can continue to make these truly new experiences each time.”
Based on “Knives Out,” which only gets better with repeated viewings, and now “Glass Onion,” I’m all for Johnson and Craig collaborating on as many Benoit Blanc mysteries as they see fit. After all, whereas Craig rightfully rec ognized it was time for him to move on because he had aged out of play ing Bond, he could play Benoit Blanc for years and years to come. You’re never too old for seersucker fashion and armchair crime dissection! “Glass Onion” doesn’t have quite the zest and freshness of the original, and there are times when it’s a little too self-pleased with the social commentary and the meta references, but thanks to John son’s crackling-good dialogue, the impressive production design and the sparkling performances from Craig and a whole new cast of possible sus pects and/or murder victims, this is a whip-smart, consistently funny and sure to be crowd-pleasing affair.
“Glass Onion” is set in the early days of the COVID pandemic and, save for an extended setup and some flash back sequences, primarily on a private
island in Greece owned by Edward Norton’s Miles Bron — an Elon Musklike tech billionaire. Miles is either a generational genius or a pompous fool who has lucked into huge fortune and global influence (maybe he’s a little bit of both), and every year he stages a lavish reunion for his once-tight circle of friends from back in the day, when they were all nobodies who hung out at a bar called the Glass Onion and dreamed of becoming somebodies. With cinematographer Steve Yedlin and the production design team deliv ering some spectacular visuals from the Greek island of Spetses, Miles wel comes his guests, including:
• Connecticut Gov. Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), who is gearing up for a run for the U.S. Senate.
• The stunningly clueless, politically incorrect Birdie (Kate Hudson), a former supermodel turned sweat pants mogul who keeps getting can celed for saying and doing things that SHOULD get you canceled, and Birdie’s long-suffering assistant, Peg (Jessica Henwick).
• Miles’ morally conflicted chief sci entist and right-hand man, Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.), who carries out Miles’ wacky visions, no matter how impractical and how potentially harmful.
• A Joe Rogan-esque, macho men’s rights YouTuber called Duke (Dave Bautista) and Duke’s bombshell girl friend, Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), and who names their daughter Whiskey?
• Miles’ former business partner Cas
sandra (Janelle Monae), who stuns everyone by actually showing up, given Miles aced Cassandra out of the company years ago with some ruthless legal maneuverings. Also along for the weekend getaway is Craig’s Benoit Blanc, though it’s not clear who invited him. It wasn’t Miles, but Miles is thrilled to welcome Blanc, given Miles has planned an elabo rate mystery game in which he will be “murdered,” and everyone is a suspect. What a kick to have the world’s most famous detective along for the ride!
The more Miles pontificates with in the halls of his cartoonishly over sized monstrosity of a house, which is filled with all sorts of high-priced artwork mixed with dozens of crys tal sculptures and features an upstairs office that’s literally a giant glass onion, and the more we learn about Miles’ interactions with his old “friends,” the more we realize virtually everyone on this island has good cause to want to see Miles murdered for real. Game on! Before the night is over, we’re likely to
see some real bloodshed, with Blanc always seeming to be one step behind — or is it ONE STEP AHEAD — of the killer(s).
As the plot is peeled back like the layers of … well, you know, “Glass Onion,” features a mid-movie reveal that is quite corny but rather delicious, changing the tone of nearly every scene that has transpired to that point. We get a steady barrage of celebrity cameos, most of them quite hilarious, and the requisite looks at the same scene from different angles, as if we’re NFL officials in the replay booth. As you’d expect from this cast, the perfor mances are juicy and great fun, with Norton leaning into his despicable bro-billionaire character, who always thinks he’s the smartest person in the room -- but we know that’s not really possible when the great Benoit Blanc is sitting right over there, right?
Copyright 2022 Chicago Sun-Times
Abig part of building your dream deck is the plan ning. In fact, a typical deck project can take six months (or more) from inspiration to installation. To help make your dream a reality, the following are tips for keeping your deck project on track, on trend and on budget. Visualize the Possibilities When it comes to your deck’s design, there are countless possibilities — from simple ground-level styles to more elabo rate multi-level decks. Ultimately, a deck should be designed around how you plan to use it. Also consider your views, neighbors, sun or shade, as well as the entrances and exits from the home and into the yard. All these factors will have an impact on your deck’s size and configuration.
Once you have a general design in mind, there are great tools avail able to help bring your visions to life. Trex offers an AR visualizer app that allows users to experiment with dif ferent decking shapes, board colors and railing combinations against the backdrop of your own house. There are also hundreds of downloadable deck plans and other resources avail able online to help guide you through your deck building journey.
Consider Codes and Permits Con sult your state, county or city offices regarding building code requirements and to learn what permits are neces sary for building a deck. Factor per mitting into your project timeline so that progress is not stalled by waiting for inspections and approvals.
If your neighborhood has a home owner association, make sure you understand any rules regarding deck size, color, product type or design. And don’t forget to check with your local utilities to locate any under ground cables, wires or pipes.
Your deck builder should be able to help with this, or you can call the North American One-Call Re ferral system at (888) 258-0808 if
you plan to DIY.
Be Mindful of Materials When choosing materials for your deck, think long term. It’s important to choose quality materials that will withstand years of wear and tear from both weather and use. High-perfor mance, wood-alternative composite decking is resistant to fading, stain ing, scratching and mold. And, un like wood, it never has to be sanded, stripped or stained, resulting in less maintenance and more time for out door enjoyment.
High-performance Trex® compos ite decking is also sustainably made from 95% recycled and reclaimed materials, making it an eco-conscious choice that feels as good as it looks. Sample boards may be ordered online so you can see firsthand how different colors and collections work with your home’s architecture and style.
Budgeting and Beyond When it comes to budgeting for a new deck, keep in mind that several factors will affect costs, including the size, shape and elevation of the deck, along with labor and the materials you choose. For the latter, you can use an online cost calculator to get a rough estimate for material costs based on the size, substructure and decking products being considered.
As for labor, do your research and request multiple quotes to ensure you find the best contractor for your proj ect and budget. Keep in mind that quality deck builders book projects well in advance and often have a wait ing list by spring.
With proper planning, it’s possi ble to make all your outdoor living dreams come true. For more informa tion and inspiration, visit Trex.com/ Academy. (BPT)
UPS
stores. Visit ups.com or call to find a location or schedule a pickup.
location or authorized shipper.
Susan Fuschino, an elementary school teacher in Pennsylva nia, experienced early meno pause and, at 47 years old, was forced into early retirement after suffering from extreme back pain. She initially attributed the back pain to being on her feet every day while teaching, however, the pain was ex cruciating to the point that Fuschino couldn’t walk.
She was ultimately diagnosed with compression fractures caused by os teoporosis and became dependent on her daughter to handle daily tasks.
“There are so many things I can’t do on my own anymore,” said Fus chino. “Emptying the dishwasher, do ing laundry, picking up items off the floor, really any activity that causes pain or puts me at risk of falling.”
Despite being a major public health problem for women worldwide, Fus chino had never heard of postmeno pausal osteoporosis (PMO) before her injury. Many people mistakenly assume that osteoporosis (OP) symp toms, like low back pain and frac tures, are typical signs of aging and first learn they have OP after break ing a bone.
“You may not know that you even have osteoporosis until it’s too late. Until you have a break or two,” Fus chino explains. Many women are un aware that bone loss begins at meno pause and you don’t have to be in your 70s or 80s to get osteoporosis.
OP is a common and serious dis ease and about half of women 50 years and older will sustain an oste oporotic fracture, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The clinic also found that for U.S. women 55 years and older, the hos pitalization burden of osteoporotic fractures is greater than that of many other serious diseases combined.
Even after a bone break, many women are not appropriately diag nosed and about 80% of women are still not treated for OP, according to the International Osteoporosis Foun dation. Unfortunately, many health care systems lack a systematic ap
proach to identifying or treating pa tients for their OP-related issues.
Decreasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures is important. Some things women can do to beef up brittle bones include:
• Ensure calcium and vitamin D are incorporated into your daily diet to maintain bone mass.
• Participate in regular weight-bear ing and muscle-strengthening exer cises to strengthen bones.
• Talk with a doctor about getting a bone density test to learn about per sonal risk for OP and discuss if OP treatment might be right for you.
If you’ve already suffered an oste oporotic fracture, you may be five times more likely to fracture again within a year, according to a study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases. Given this information, it’s clear that treatments for primary and subsequent fractures related to OP are needed.
OP is a serious condition, but there is hope with appropriate treatment, according to the National Osteopo rosis Foundation. Now 51 years old, Fuschino, with the help of specialists, found treatment options that helped her improve bone density. She contin ues to share her story to raise aware ness in hopes to help other women impacted by this disease.
If you or a loved one have osteopo rosis and are at high risk of fracture or have already suffered an osteopo rotic fracture, you should speak with your doctor about possible treatment plans. Visit UnderstandOP.com to learn about a treatment option, find resources, and learn how to start a conversation with your doctor. (BPT)
Hopefully, everyone had a safe and en joyable Thanksgiving. Now we’re on to the last round of holidays for 2022. It is impossible to know what the winter weather will be this year, but prepare for extreme cold, heat, rain, frost, wind, drought and wildfires as best you can! We can get any or all of it!
While the rest of the nation battles freezing tem peratures and snow, we get to work outdoors in the garden. Cool weather makes this a good month for construction projects and short days make it easy for new or transplanted plants to settle in.
Winter vegetables should be growing comfort ably in the vegetable garden and the promise of
rain should coax up wildflowers.
You can also plant started vegetables from multipacks. Snap up the last of the best winter vegetables still available for sale. Or, plant seed for later crops of peas, cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, fava beans, lettuces, radishes, Swiss chard, etc.
Plant root crops like carrots, radishes, and beets from seed, too. And try some less traditional edible root plants like celeriac, parsnip and salsify for va riety.
Root crops are best planted from seed since they don’t like transplanting. Most vegetables do well with aged manure — all manure should be aged at least four months to destroy potentially danger ous bacteria. But if you are expecting to grow long, straight carrots, avoid adding manure of any kind to your soil as it can encourage the roots to fork.
This is a good time to keep up with weeding. The tiny plants that germinate right after rain pull easily. You may even want to replace those weeds with some California wildflower plants. Scattering wildflower seed is a handy way to fill up open areas or an empty garden with color for springtime. Just scatter seeds the day before rain is likely and let na ture plant them for you.
Prune dormant trees and shrubs. Sap is flowing more slowly and trees will suffer less stress from cuts or wounds. As the final leaves fall this month, you can shred them and add them to your compost heap.
Pop early spring-blooming bulbs into flower beds or a cutting garden. There is a wide choice of bulbs available now to add colorful flowers to an ever green garden, add perfume to ordinary plant areas, supply cut flowers or just add excitement to any planter or garden.
Think about adding new sections to the garden, removing lawn, building a raised vegetable garden or working on some garden designing. This is the best time to get projects and plans in gear before the spring rush. Start by listing what you want to do and the materials that will be involved, sketch out a design of the area and how it will go together, then price out and buy your materials so you have everything organized before you start the project.
Rows of December beets and carrots show the above ground foliage.
Keep on planting those hardy annual flower seeds, plants, shrubs and trees. Other hardy plants will likely transplant easily with the moister soil, gentler temperatures and shorter days of Decem ber. Make sure the newly planted don’t dry out in spells when there is no rain, and toss a cover of light burlap over them on frosty nights for protec tion.
Pore through garden furniture, plant and seed catalogs online or printed. They provide a delight ful way to spend a cold, windy or rainy day and will give you some interesting ideas for your garden. And check out some of the local garden centers for fun garden holiday gifts. You might find a gift or two that you and your garden deserve after putting in a year of care and hard work. Some gifts might make work easier, like some useful tools.
Other gifts will make gardening healthier to do, like hats, gloves, sunscreen, knee pads and more. And still others might just plain be fun, like décor, games, books, and clothes. When in doubt, gift your gardening friends (or yourself) with a gift cer tificate for shopping in the future!
December is an ideal time to take on outdoor projects while the weather is comfortable for work. You can add new sections to the garden, plant lawns, build a raised vegetable garden or add some decorative garden edging so your landscape will shine come the spring season. And make sure you provide a spot for rest and relaxation in your gar den. If you already have one, I repeat, use it during the hectic holidays!
For more information about gardening in the San ta Clarita Valley, visit Jane Gates on YouTube at https://youtube.com/user/Janieg8s.
Gingerbread cookies and houses are one of the many sym bols of the holiday season, alongside Christmas trees and twinkling lights. In fact, few confections symbol ize the holidays more so than gingerbread.
Many a child (or a child at heart) has spent hours careful ly trying to create decorative gingerbread houses. Although gingerbread recipes span vari ous cultures, gingerbread hous es originated in 16th century Germany. The fairy tale “Han sel and Gretel” helped solidify the popularity of gingerbread, which became part of Christ mas traditions.
Even though gingerbread houses can be fun to make, there’s no denying it can be exacting work — especially for those who strive for perfection. Prepackaged kits attempt to take some of the guesswork out of the equation, but those who are craft ing from scratch can employ these tips as they build their gingerbread houses.
Go for form and not flavor Few gin gerbread houses ever get eaten, so fo cus on finding a dough that will bake up rock hard as opposed to one that tastes good.
Get the right icing texture Pastry artist Catherine Beddall says royal icing is the preferred “glue” to ad here gingerbread pieces. Beddall says icing should be thick like peanut butter and not runny.
Mind the dough Do not roll out the gingerbread dough too thin or it may become brittle after being cooked. Always cut out shapes before the gingerbread is baked. Let the baked pieces sit overnight to cool complete ly before using them to build.
Patience is key Allow the icing to dry for at least a couple of hours after adhering each piece and before mov ing and handling the house, says Bed dall. Work in stages so that individual items can be decorated and allowed to dry. Then the walls can be put to
gether, followed by the roof pieces. Kids likely will need help Children may not have the patience or steadi ness to handle complete gingerbread construction. They can decorate the separate pieces of the house while the components are laying flat, which is easier for kids. Adults can do the main assembly later on. Use a template Free-handing may not be easy. Cut out templates using cardboard or posterboard for various gingerbread pieces.
One of the most important tips is to have fun. Don’t take ginger bread house making too seriously as a novice. Rather, enjoy the experi ence and the centuries-old tradition. (MC)
Mr. Trump, please don’t run, because not only are you past your prime, but as a nation we need to stop the hate! We need statesmen, not haters. We need leaders who are willing to work together to solve the problems that are destroying our nation! We need leadership that will support our Constitution by using reasonable conservative principles, not name-calling and bullying.
Mr. Trump please don’t run, because there are too many issues that need solving. I give you one exam ple. I believe, as you do, that we need to complete our border wall. I know Democrats and Republicans who want that, too, but they will not vote for it because you started it and they hate you! So we have to stop the bullying and the hate. We need to reeducate those, on both sides of the aisle, who know that we have to close the border but can’t see beyond their hate.
Mr. Trump, please don’t run, but help the Republi cans elect an up-and-coming fresh new candidate, so our nation becomes stronger. Let’s go back to campaign ads that emphasize the positive things a candidate can accomplish, not the negative side of their opponent.
We need to reestablish our FBI, CIA, Department of Justice and Supreme Court as non-political entities! With you as president, that will not happen! Our na tion needs us now. Each of us needs to sacrifice, and I know this is asking a big sacrifice from you. But please, Mr. Trump, help stop the hate. Of all the things you can do this would be the greatest! You can lead the way!
So, Mr. Trump, please don’t run!
Iknow we’ve entered the Christ mas season and really need the joy, hope, and relationships with friends and family we all desperately need right now. But before we box up the recent election and put it away on a dark closet shelf, I also need to get some things off my chest and into the ether of public debate.
I recently read a good article in which Anouare Abdou suggested four powerful company values for the modern workplace: ethics and integrity, respect, innova tion, and gratitude. It hit me that these are the kinds of things I hope our elected officials – both new and old – would not only promise to enact but also would actually hold to and display con sistently in their governing activity.
But that’s the problem, right? Too often we see a very diverse color palate of ethical behavior among those seeking and holding public office. There seems to be a certain proclaimed ethic for campaigning and quite another for governing, which leaves us with a profound understanding that, for too many politicians, their integrity isn’t even skin deep. They are out for personal pres tige, power and wealth, and like actors, will put on whatever ethical costume is necessary to be applauded.
in your closest circle of friends. Next, learn that you only deserve respect if you are respectable. Stop with the infantile name calling, slan der, and bullying of those who differ with you and hold you accountable. After all Mr. and Mrs. Politician, you are not your own! You work for us, and we are fed up with your obfusca tion, your huffing and puffing about your opponents, and the accom panying lack of diligence in doing your job and serving our best interests.
Next, we need some innovation. I wish those who lead would move on from the hurts of the past and actually bring us some answers to the very real problems America is facing. As an exam ple, I don’t care what Hunter Biden has done but I do care about inflation, corruption in govern mental programs, and the fact that year after year the legislative and executive branches continue to take us further and further into debt. Spoiler alert: Debt is dangerous, and it kills the economy. This is true for a family, and also for a nation.
On Jan. 1, a new California law (Assembly Bill 2098) will take effect that makes it illegal to spread medical misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines or an ti-pandemic public policy. This law is aimed at medical professionals who pander to far-right disinformation on vaccination effectiveness and promote unscientific drugs like hydroxychloroquine and other quackery.
This legislation is aimed at the medical professionals who often provide this information to extract mone tary gain from uninformed individuals who watch too much Fox News. I only wish we could amend the law to prosecute others, including the former president of the United States, who have made it possible for the pandemic to kill over a million Americans.
Thomas Oatway ValenciaAnd their lack of respect for we the people is demonstrated in their lack of respect for common decency, especially in the way they treat those with whom they differ. How horrible it is to watch those occupying positions of importance and honor acting so dishonorably! And I greatly fear that the volume of name calling and outright, mean-spirited, slanderous and criminal activity grows loudest where the crippling subterfuge is the deepest.
And what about innovation? How many times are our leaders going to roll out the same outdated and ineffective litany of committees, new agen cies, study groups, regulations, executive orders, and outlandish promises loaded with goodies for all those who will stand up and cheer?
Finally, could we please find some who will cast off the present foolish reappraisal of all things American, who will act with historical integrity, respect, and sincere gratitude for all who came be fore us, and upon whose shoulders we all stand?
Lastly, I wish our elected officials, in fact all Americans, would cast off our infatuation with cynicism, criticism, and cancellation, and show some gratitude for the good things we enjoy. Without an attitude of gratitude we have little chance of finding the light in this dark world. If we keep training our eyes to see what’s wrong, we’ll certainly miss our chance to do what is right, to champion what is good and righteous and profitable.
The American dream stands on the foundation of “In God We Trust.” And it has been built out of the bricks of ethical belief and integrous activity, respect for self and others, innovation in the face of challenge, and gratitude for the privilege of living in God’s world. Our founding fathers held these truths to be self-evident, derived from nat ural law, and essential to the maintenance of civil, prosperous society.
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So here is my post-election wish list for all who now hold elected offices. First, have an ethical system that recognizes natural law, historical precedent, and common sense, and then stick to it with the kind of integrity you expect from those
Is America in trouble? You be the judge. But regardless of how you feel our politicians are per forming, you’ll have to agree that if we keep doing what we’re doing we’ll keep getting what we’ve got. I’m praying two things. First, that it’s not too late, and second, that you and I can help make us better.
Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.
