Have you ever wondered where hair spray comes from? We are using it day in, day out (at least many of us) – so… here are your answers, courtesy of Wikepedia!
Hair sprays typically consist of several components for the hair – concentrate, plasticizers, luster agents, and fragrances, as well as propellants (unless a pump mechanism is used to deploy the product). Polyvinylpyrrolidone is a common component of hair spray that confers stiffness to hair.
The concentrate comprises only a small volume of a can of hairspray. Most of a canister is filled solvents such as isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) and ethanol.
Early hair sprays were developed in Europe in the 1920s. In the US, hair sprays were developed around the time of the aerosol can in the 1940s, and the first patents describing copolymers for hair styling were also published at that time.
In the US, hair spray became increasingly popular and mass-produced from the late 1940s, as updos and other such hairstyles were created – from “Bouffants” – see below – to the infamous “Beehives.” By 1964, it became the highest selling beauty product on the market.
Sales of hairspray declined in the 1970s as hairstyles became predominately worn straight and loose. By the 1980s, hairspray’s popularity came back as big hairstyles resurged with the glam metal scene.
In 2007, hair spray (the product) became famous as Hairspray (the movie) starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer. So – now you know! What’s YOUR favorite hairstyle, with or without spray?
All weddings, as celebrations of union between two individuals, are filled with ritual. Some rituals are, for the most part, universal, such as wearing white by the bride, or the exchange of rings and exchange of vows. Some rituals vary depending on the cultural backgrounds of the families. Many rituals of food are used during the ceremony, to symbolize sweetness (sharing honey) or the bitter-sweetness of marriage (sharing sugar-covered almonds), etc. Some rituals symbolize the binding of the union of two individuals (hand-fasting, lasso-ceremony, chuppah or the sugar-rubbing cloth held overhead the couple) and some rituals highlight the coming together of two families and communities (unity candle lighting, ring warming ceremony, etc.).
The Iranian (Persian) ceremony is full of beautiful, meaningful rituals, all of which point to nature, love and the spiritual world. And, unlike many wedding ceremonies worldwide, where religion plays a central role, the Iranian (Persian) ceremony is entirely secular. All of its elements point to nature, beauty and love between the couple. Additionally, there is great emphasis on the importance of literature by reciting beautiful love poetry of classical Persian poets such as Khayyam, Hafez, Rumi and others.
During their nuptials, the couple sits in front of a decorative spread, Sofreh Aghd, with items symbolizing well-wishes for their married life. These include a mirror (for reflection), candles (light in the universe), crystalized sugar (sweetness), eggs and nuts (fertility), flowers (beauty), herbs and fruit (health), bread (sustenance), spices (to ward off any negative energies) and a book (usually poetry or holy book depending on the preferences of the couple). In addition to these items, two large sugar cones as well as a container of honey will adorn the Sofreh and will be used during the ceremony. The cones (which represent the couple) will be rubbed together over a cloth held over their heads, in the hopes that every contact between the couple will result in sweetness! The honey will be used by the couple to take turns feeding to one another with their pinky fingers and also symbolizes sweetness for their marriage.
During the Persian wedding ceremony, the Officiant asks the couple for their declaration of consent. While the groom answers with a loud and resounding “ba’leh”, or “Yes!”, the bride traditionally would not respond the first nor the second time that the question is asked. During this silence, her girlfriends would chime in and say, “the bride has gone to pick flowers” or “the bride has gone to bring rosewater”. In the old days, the groom would be seated outside of the ceremony room (which was traditionally a female space) and the bride’s girlfriends would tease him and say “she’s not here, she’s gone to pick flowers”! Another reason for this delay may have been to allow the bride to consider the decision that would forever change her destiny.
After the couple has given their consent, they share their vows and rings and feed each other honey! At the end of the ceremony, the close relatives of the couple will present their ceremony gifts (usually jewelry or envelopes with cash) before the couple is announced and shares their first kiss as married!
Today many couples choose to modify the ceremony to fit their wishes, beliefs, budgets and preferences. Some will have an elaborate Sofreh of considerable proportions, and some will display a modest version with a few key items. For couples who are celebrating a mixed union, coming from different traditions, many times on the Sofreh will be displayed items reflecting their backgrounds. For example, in my work with mixed/fusion couples, I have seen everything from an Irish horseshoe and Child of Prague statue, to a Mexican lasso and coin, to the Native American basket, to the Jewish wine glass and the African American broom, among other items. These objects fit beautifully together and are a testament to love, union and mutual acceptance between two individuals, their families and communities.
Every wedding is so very special and such a happy occasion. Afterall we are celebrating the greatest force in the universe, Love! So regardless of size, venue, expense and any fanfare, the true essence of every wedding is the celebration of a union, and the coming together of families and communities. Rituals help to make this special occasion even more meaningful and memorable.
Fourth of July – Independence Day. Who wouldn’t know? Every school child learns about it. It is the National Day of the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, the motherland of the colonists. It commemorates the end of the American Revolutionary War, in which many thousands paid the ultimate price to attain their new country’s independence.
Independence thus is a value deeply rooted in American history and culture. It is a defining element of the American self-image.
The idea of independence, though, is not restricted to the political realm alone. It is likewise perceived as a value in its own right in the fabric of our society: women have fought a valiant battle for their legal and financial independence from their male family members – fathers, brothers, husbands – for their right to make their own decisions, choose their husbands themselves or live on their own, be the masters of their own fate. The idea of independence is ranking high in our perception of moral values.
And yet – every single day more than 12,000 US citizens voluntarily give up a good part of their personal independence: they get married! (Which brings us to our main subject here at Wedding Woof).Have you ever looked at weddings from this aspect? Bride and groom are giving up the freedom to do as they like, to go out when they feel like it without asking anyone, to travel whenever wanderlust strikes without having to consider someone else’s feelings or schedules. Thankfully by today those tying the knot do so on their own accord and from their own free will. So – why are they doing it?
Photo credit Andre Vega
Brian Lyke, a minister in Carmel-by-the-Sea who officiates at many weddings, put it this way: ” When we get married, we’re not just fulfilling a social expectation. “Everybody my age is getting married, so that is the normal thing to do!” No, I firmly believe that the reason for getting married lies a lot deeper. Most human beings feel a deep loneliness, feel that something is missing from their lives without a counterpart. Knowingly or unconsciously, they are longing for another human being to share their joys big and small, their frustrations, their successes and failures, in short, their everyday lives. Without this partner, they feel incomplete, and they are searching for completeness, looking for wholeness…for fulfillment, and I believe that that longing for wholeness is part of our nature. Simply put, we’re made for each other, we’re made for relationship.” And that entails a mutual give-and-take, entails voluntarily giving up some of our hard-earned independence – for love.
And that’s not the only area where people give up part of their independence for love: every month more than 7000 dogs are brought into someone’s household, be it adopted from a shelter or bought from a breeder. (Which brings us to the other focus of Wedding Woof…) Taking up responsibility for a pet automatically means a dramatic change in lifestyle: you can’t leave the house any more for hours at a time, you can’t travel as you used to… you always have to be mindful of your pet’s needs and happiness. And yet – ask any dog owner, and they will assure you that relinquishing part of their independence is double-and triple-rewarded by the love their pet gives them every single day. Here you have it again: sometimes love trumps independence.
Cheers to all those who courageously relinquish some independence in favor of love – for someone two-legged or four-legged… Which should not preclude you from celebrating Independence Day as well!
I reached for the tapered Burgundian wine bottle in the cellar, thinking it was a Pinot Noir to serve my guests. Pinot, the classic safe choice to share; a varietal ubiquitous to the typical Californian wine cellar, and a versatile selection for food pairings from pâté to dessert. Many wine connoisseurs enjoy a good Pinot, especially Marin County residents, as were my company. As I brought the bottle into the light it became immediately apparent that it was in fact not a bottle of Pinot Noir, but actually… Syrah.
It was too late. The Marinites saw the bottle. I couldn’t put it back. I suddenly realized I had given away the last bottle of Trione Pinot Noir as a Christmas gift to a friend who had unexpectedly stopped by. My mind raced. ‘The Pinot is gone; the Syrah is all I have. The Syrah is good, to be sure, but was it too exotic for the sensibilities of my guests?’ Seconds passed, it seemed like eternity. I recovered well, though.
“I have a lovely 2013 Russian River Valley Syrah for you try. I chose it specially to pair with the cheese.”
I must confess, even growing up in Sonoma County in a family involved in the business of wine, Syrah was not a common sight. Pinot and Cabernet comprised the extent of my red wine knowledge. To be fair, I was only five years old. Still, I have noticed even today that when perusing the wine list at a restaurant, there are often more labels of Pinot Noir than Syrah. I personally enjoy them both, and yes it depends on the situation, the food pairing and even the weather. Or sometimes, as it appeared in my story above, that is simply what is available.
Let’s look a little into the historical geographical incidence of the two varietals. Pinot Noir originates from the Burgundy region of France, an east-central region of the country with a cooler climate conducive to growing the thin-skinned grape. With weather much like the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, it is not a coincidence that the River Road Ranch is where Trione produces the fruit for it’s Pinot, hand selecting the top three percent of the crop that finds its way into bottles with the Trione Vineyards & Winery label. In the old world, Syrah has historically been grown in the Rhône Valley of France. The climate varies from the north to south of the valley, with the northern part cooler than the southern end. As you may have guessed, the conditions of the Russian River Valley AVA are somewhere in between. At Trione, the top three percent is siphoned off to the winemaker, Scot Covington, before the balance of the crop is sold to other local wineries.
Scot employs a French style in winemaking, so all things being equal on the production end, it is fascinating to taste just how different these wines are and why Syrah is deserving of respect. While Scot describes the Trione Pinot Noir as “Fresh tilled earth, clean, rich and… a walk through a medieval forest, dark but with layer upon layer of blackberry compote.” He describes the Syrah as smoky and “peaty, wet earth with hints of plum, blueberry and wild blackberry preserves.” In his tasting notes, he goes on to say that the Trione Syrah is “Pinot lover’s Syrah.”
Wait a minute.
Describing the Syrah in reference to Pinot is no mistake. People just know and love an earthy, peaty tasting Pinot, so why not compare the lesser known to the standard of excellence in the field? But is it fair to compare two such different wines? This is not what Scot was doing, but I believe I was guilty of this thought process when I was entertaining my guests with the bottle of 2013 Syrah. Syrah should not be considered the less gifted sibling compared to the superstar kid wonder Pinot that went to an Ivy League, rowed on the crew team and achieved a 4.0, while Syrah went to a respectable Junior College and did just fine. The point has been made that the two varietals are distinctly different, and Scot has cued us in with the tasting notes. So, how are they really different and what to pair with?
As we see in the tasting notes, Syrah is classically smoky. It is full bodied and spicy. It is bold, and I have heard it described as “barbecue wine.” At this juncture, I should add that the Trione Syrah contains 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. This is a stylistic choice, and does not in my opinion obscure the true nature of the varietal. Pinot, on the other hand, is high in acidity, earthy, red fruit notes but lighter. So, when we really break it down to their simplest descriptions, Syrah is bold and Pinot Noir is lighter. This gives us an idea of how to pair.
Pinot Noir is indeed versatile, and the range of foods with which it pairs is generally determined by how tannic or conversely light it is. The bolder more tannic Pinots stand up well to wild game and heavier dishes, while the lighter fruitier variants are more appropriate for poultry, pastas, and seafood like salmon. At a Trione Winemaker Dinner, I even enjoyed the Russian River Pinot Noir with a fruit-based dessert. Syrah, while a significantly different to its Pinot Noir counterpart, actually pairs with similar foods as an elegantly tannic Pinot. For example, Syrah is a good partner to gamey-tasting meats, lamb, and anything barbecue. And cheese? That’s a gouda. Just steer clear of most seafood dishes, and delicate flavors that are overpowered by this full-bodied red.
There you have it. Pinot Noir and Syrah. We have barely scratched the surface of these two red varietals. They represent an intriguing comparison in my opinion because of the spectrum on which they lie. On opposite ends they are just that – diametric reds with the light, highly acidic Pinot Noir on one end and the smoky tannic Syrah on the other. Tangentially close but never quite overlapping on the spectrum, we find fuller-bodied Pinots and less toasty Syrahs. With the multitude of labels available for both varietals, there is seemingly endless opportunity to test the merits of each and to explore one’s preference. To quote The Matrix, “You take the red pill… and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
Not any chocolate, mind you. Call me a snob, but for what little amount of chocolate I will allow myself every day (because of those calories threatening to stick to my hips!), it has to be special, rich, dark and intense. Chalk it up to my European upbringing, where I was spoiled into assuming that Swiss chocolate was “the standard.” I am still dreaming of those creamy, rich, dark “Feodora” and “Hachez” bars of my childhood…
What’s coming close here and now? Certainly Godiva truffles – so, yes, I am a fan of those (for my birthday and such – not everyday!). Recently, one of their advertisements caught my eye, and I was surprised to see that all these little gems are still made by hand, one by one… Here is their educational video.
And here are some fun facts about their signature flavors!
Praline:
When the personal chef of the Duke of Plessis-Praslin accidentally spilled melted sugar over ground almonds, the Duke found the results so delicious that he named then after himself, “Praslin,” which was then smoothed out to “Praline.”
Ganache:
A smooth, creamy mixture of chocolate and cream which also supposedly was invented by mistake when the apprentice of a 19th century chocolatier spilled hot milk over several tablets of chocolates. The master scolded his apprentice “Ganache” (French for moron or idiot), but was appeased when he tasted the result which has since become a mainstay for patissiers and chocolatiers alike.
Truffle:
The chocolate truffle borrowed its name from the Black Truffle mushroom from the French region of Perigord, a luxury item of the high cuisine. Why? They look pretty much alike – although a chocolate truffle hides a flavored creamy filling under its hard shell.
There are still courageous people “out there” in our wedding vendor community, despite the disastrous effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. So courageous (or audacious?) that they start a new business right now. You read correctly. Patisserie chef Janay McCullough is opening an offshoot of her Avocado Catering company: Avocado Baking – dedicated to uncompromisingly modern and bold cake designs. And since what’s underneath that pretty exterior matters at least as much, here are her – equally bold – flavors!
Avocado Mojito: Moist vanilla cake, avocado citrus mousse, fresh mint, sweet Swiss meringue buttercream; a fun, refreshing flavor perfect for warm weather and adventurous eaters. It does not have a strong avocado flavor, rather it adds depth and fat to help balance the acidic citrus and fresh mint.
Berries & The Bees: Our signature, moist vanilla cake with salted honey roasted strawberry compote filling and sweet Swiss meringue buttercream. The ultimate crowd pleaser with fresh, bright strawberries, roasted with local honey, which lends a buttery note to the berries.
Chocolate Lovers: Vanilla cake, rich and silky fudge filling with sea salt, dark chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. The perfect balance the dark chocolate. This flavor is for the serious chocolate lover.
High Tea: Delicately flavored earl grey tea cake, salted caramel, lemon zest Swiss meringue buttercream. The floral flavor of bergamot, a citrus that tastes like a cross between a lemon, orange, and grapefruit, lends itself well to the sweetness of our caramel. For adventurous eaters with a caramel addiction!
Tiramisu: Vanilla cake, soaked with boozy-coffee tiramisu syrup, with a cream cheese and espresso Swiss meringue buttercream. Our take on a classic favorite!
Now that you know what’s INSIDE, here is what the outside might look like:
Not only for Father’s Day – what about a virtual game night on Zoom with your friends? I collected a few popular options for you!
Cards Against Humanity
While I personally am admittedly not a fan, I know a LOT of people who are!
If your virtual event is adults-only, you could play a game like Cards Against Humanity. PlayingCards.io offers a free version called Remote Insensitivity enabling you to play on your phone while you video chat on the computer. Just text everyone the link to your personal game room and voila – let the games begin!
Bingo
If you are a Bingo fan, a website like My Free Bingo Cards is for you – either to play a traditional game with a virtual caller, or to play a custom Bingo game with a theme (a movie or TV show that your group likes). Small prizes for the winners make it all even more appealing!
Trivia
You can still work on your trivia skills with proper social distancing. For a game on Zoom, there is a random trivia generator – just start asking questions. Have each person send their answer in the Zoom chat at the same time.
Collaborate with your youngsters to turn your run-of-the-mill mailbox into a little piece of art and make your mail carrier’s jaw drop! Just be aware that for this project it is necessary to wear a face mask – so it’s only suitable for kids old enough to do that and use a spray paint can responsibly.
Here are the supplies you’ll need:
Medium-grit sandpaper
Painters masks
Painters tape
Aluminum primer
Metal paint spray paint in the beautiful color of your choice
First of all, outfit all participants with protective masks, then start sanding off rust and old paint from your mailbox.
Next, you need to cover house numbers and the mail flag with painters tape (older kids can do that!).
Spray on aluminum primer and allow it to dry.
Then, apply the metal spray paint and let it dry completely. AND THEN the real fun begins! Have your young artists decorate your mailbox – easiest way is using stencils. Want to go one step further? Make a sculpture of your mailbox! Get inspired:
Per Wikipedia, Father’s Day is a day of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on March 19 as Saint Joseph’s Day since the Middle Ages. In America, Father’s Day was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd and celebrated on the third Sunday of June for the first time in 1910. It is held on various days in many parts of the world all throughout the year, often in the months of March, May and June.
On June 19, 1910, the very first Father’s Day celebration was held at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington, by Sonora Smart Dodd whose father, a single parent, had raised his six children there. She felt that fathers should have a similar holiday like Mother’s Day to honor them,and on June 19, 1910, sermons honoring fathers were presented in churches throughout the city.
Ms. Dodd raised awareness for the new holiday at a national level with the help of those trade groups that would benefit most from the holiday, for example the manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes, and any traditional presents for fathers.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
So – now you know! What are you doing for Father’s Day?
As promised, here are more ideas for your upcoming (small…) summer gatherings, especially for bridging the time from guest arrival to food coming sizzling hot off the grill!
Nothing is better to keep guests entertained than delicious snacks – these days served as “portion packages…” – but just as yummy. A fresh dip goes with so many things – from celery and carrot sticks to pretzel rods, toasted baguette slices to breadsticks.
Get inspired by this relaxed approach to mixing a fresh dip!
First: select your base, be it a creamy (full-fat) yoghurt, creme fraiche, or sour cream.
Next: stir in fresh chopped herbs, and let your own preference guide you. The sky is the limit: chives, parsley, cilantro, sage… whatever you have on hand, BUT fresh!
Then: season to taste! Salt, pepper, cayenne are a must. Balance the taste with acidity with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Finish: by adding an eye-catching garnish on top – crunchy nuts, for example, also add texture.
Now that you’ve gotten the hang of it – what about a dessert dip of your own creation?!
