Polo Red's Top Moments

RALPH LAUREN FRAGRANCES INTRODUCES POLO RED: A NEW FRAGRANCE WITH A FIERY EDGE AND DARING CONFIDENCE
“Polo Red was inspired by the qualities I love in a powerful car – speed, style and beauty.”  - Ralph Lauren For the man with drive, POLO RED captures speed, seduction and adrenaline in a powerful scent.  The exhilarating new fragrance from Ralph Lauren, POLO RED is a fiery mix of spicy red saffron, fresh red grapefruit and deep red wood that ignites the thrill-seeker in every man.   Like so much of what Ralph Lauren designs, POLO RED is inspired by his passion for cars and speed. POLO RED brings an exciting edge to the Ralph Lauren fragrance portfolio.   The new scent brings seduction and a daring confidence, marking a new era for Polo fragrances.   POLO RED embodies the risk-taker in every man and combines powerful notes in a woody, spicy fragrance to create an adrenaline rush of key ingredients, including: TOP NOTES:  red grapefruit, Italian cedrat, red cranberry MID NOTES:  red saffron, lavandin, red sage BASE NOTES:  red wood, amber, coffee berry POLO RED is the ultimate in design, power and distinction, taking inspiration from the Ralph Lauren Car Collection, one of the world’s most prestigious collections of exquisite cars. The high-gloss, opaque bottle is a striking, fiery red, mimicking the sleek curves of an automobile and featuring the iconic Polo pony logo.  The bottle is topped with a matte black cap to create a powerful appearance.   The thrilling essence of POLO RED is captured in a heart-racing short film directed by Bruce Weber and starring Nacho Figueras.  The action begins as a daring man launches a high-speed chase, his powerful car racing against a fast speedboat.  His pulse is beating as the speed is turned up and the engine forcefully kicks into gear.  The film’s song, “Cut Me Some Slack,” was recorded by Sound City Players and sets the tone for the thrilling ride.  Ralph Lauren Fragrances brings the POLO RED fragrance line-up to select retailers and includes: Eau de Toilette (125ml/ 75ml/ 45ml)                  $76/ $61/ $44 Deodorizing Body Spray (200ml)                           $20 After Shave Balm (150ml)                                        $40 Alcohol-Free Deodorant (75g)                                $18 For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ralphlaurenfragrances.
ABOUT RALPH LAUREN FRAGRANCES In 1978, Ralph Lauren expanded his lifestyle brand to encompass the world of fragrance, launching Lauren for women and Polo for men. For more than 30 years, Ralph Lauren Fragrances has developed new fragrances for men and women that express a distinct personality and luxury lifestyle in the Ralph Lauren tradition. The Ralph Lauren Fragrances portfolio includes Polo, Polo Blue, Polo Black, Polo Red, Ralph Lauren Romance and The Big Pony Fragrance Collection For Women and For Men. Find more about Ralph Lauren Fragrances at www.ralphlauren.com/fragrances or www.facebook.com/ralphlaurenfragrances.

The 2013 Animals, Animals, Animals Book Festival - Call for Entries

CHICAGO (September 25, 2013) _ The 2013 Animals, Animals, Animals Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its competition honoring the best stories from the world of dogs, cats, horses, wild beasts, birds, insects, reptiles and other creatures great and small.

The Animals, Animals, Animals Book Festival will consider works in the following categories: dogs, cats, birds, horses, insects, fish, reptiles, children’s books, young adult, working animals, wild card (anything goes!), pets, jungle, farm, city animals, biography/memoirs, talking, photography, horror, science, unpublished manuscripts, and spiritual/religious. All entries must be in English.

The competition honors general excellence and the awards are intended to draw public attention to worthy selections during the busiest season for book sales.

Our grand prize for the 2013 AAA Book Festival winner is a $500 appearance fee and a flight to our gala awards ceremony in Chicago in November, 2013.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel using the following criteria:

1) General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
2) The potential of the work to reach a wider audience.

FESTIVAL RULES: Animals, Animals, Animals Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.

Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on October 10, 2013. Winners will be notified by e-mail and on the web site. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.

TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at www.animalsbookfestival.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you. Please contact our office at 323-665-8080 for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $50 in the form of a check, money order or PayPal online payment in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.

Virgin Galactic’s “Your Flight DNA” Event

VIRGIN GALACTIC’S “YOUR FLIGHT DNA” EVENT

BRINGS TOGETHER LARGEST NUMBER OF

FUTURE ASTRONAUTS TO DATE

Customers from around the world celebrate impending start of commercial operations

MOJAVE, Calif. – Today, Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Abu Dhabi's aabar Investments PJS, hosted its annual private customer event at Mojave Air and Space Port. Deemed, “Your Flight DNA,” the occasion brought together the largest number of future astronauts to date, with approximately 400 customers and a total of 640 individuals in attendance.

“As Virgin Galactic progresses towards commercial flight, we periodically gather together with our wonderful family of Virgin Galactic future astronauts,  not only to thank them for their commitment to the program, but to also celebrate our most recent milestones and successes,” said Virgin Galactic Founder Sir Richard Branson who was on hand in Mojave for today’s event. “With supersonic powered test flights of SpaceShipTwo well underway, a full commercial service is fast approaching. In fact, today’s event could well be the last major gathering of future astronauts before we finally start to make their dreams of space travel a reality."

Just outside Virgin Galactic’s Final Assembly Integration and Test Hangar (FAITH) facility in Mojave, WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo (SS2) were on display for the crowd. Virgin Galactic’s Chief Pilot David Mackay and Pilots Frederick “C.J.” Sturckow and Michael Masucci participated in the morning’s events and will conduct a “Meet the Pilots” session in the afternoon.

During these yearly customer events, future astronauts are provided updates on the progress being made for the company’s space flight program. This morning, customers heard from top Virgin Galactic executives, including Sir Richard Branson, CEO George Whitesides, Commercial Director Stephen Attenborough, President Steve Isakowitz and Vice President of Operations Mike Moses. Future astronauts received up-to-date information on vehicle and rocket motor development, including a stunning showcase of SS2 cabin seat prototypes. They also had the chance to meet and mingle with the Virgin Galactic team.

“We want to give our customers the opportunity to meet the team behind the dream – our amazing group of engineers, rocket motor scientists, operations experts, pilots and more,” George Whitesides said. “These are the individuals who work to ensure that our customers will have the safest and most memorable flight experience possible.”

This year, Virgin Galactic focused on providing customers with a "behind the hangar doors” experience, which included updates on the recent work and program milestones that have taken place in Mojave, where Virgin Galactic flight tests and vehicle manufacturing takes place. Many of today’s presentations took place inside Virgin Galactic’s FAITH facility.

Throughout the remainder of the day, future astronauts will gather for additional presentations on medical evaluations, overall operations and the progress being made at Spaceport America in New Mexico. This evening, customers will attend a private Virgin Galactic party at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. As they celebrate in the midst of retired Space Shuttle Endeavour, future astronauts will hear from additional Virgin Galactic executives and have the opportunity to spend time with other fellow future astronauts.

Announcing Offshore Energy 2014

Offshore Energy Exhibition and Conference 2014 will be held on 28 & 29 October 2014 at the Amsterdam RAI, the Netherlands. 2014 brings the 7th edition of Offshore Energy.

Offshore Energy is the fastest growing gathering of offshore industry professionals. Founded in 2008 with 70 exhibitors and 1,765 visitors, Offshore Energy has been breaking records year after year. The 6th edition of Offshore Energy on 15 & 16 October 2013 brings together some 500 exhibitors and over 8,500 visitors representing 50 nationalities.

The organization expects that the event will continue on its path of steady growth. Offshore Energy 2014 will host between 500 and 600 exhibitors and is expected to attract over 10,000 professionals from all over the world. Both the exhibition and the extensive conference program of Offshore Energy 2014 will address the technical, operational and commercial challenges associated with industry growth.

The 2014 technical program will once again feature an international faculty of speakers covering a broad palette of topics. Meetings range from high caliber panels and technical sessions to annual meetings of industry organizations and masterclasses, catering to professionals from board level to operational level and young talents.

Companies and organizations who want to exhibit at or sponsor this top quality event in 2014 are encouraged to visit the 2013 edition on 15 & 16 October 2013 in halls 9,10 and 11 of the Amsterdam RAI. Visiting the exhibition is free of charge, conference delegates pay a small delegate fee. Registration via http://registration.offshore-energy.biz/

The 2013 Offshore Energy Conference features contributions from Shell, Siemens AG, CB&I, EBN, Oranje Nassau Energie, Van Dyke Energy, Bluewater Energy Services, Fugro, Wood Mackenzie, ABB, Mojo Maritime Ltd., SCHOTTEL, Rabobank International, Wärtsilä, Green Giraffe Energy Bankers, ABN AMRO, Deloitte, Tulip Oil, McKinsey & Company, GIEK Norway, Indofin, Atradius, Iv-Groep, GDF SUEZ E&P Nederland BV, Damen and many more. Dylan Group is Gold Sponsor of Offshore Energy 2013.

Family Farming: The Key to Alleviating Hunger and Poverty

Food Tank: The Food Think Tank highlights five effective ways for investing in family farmers

Contact: For more information or to schedule an interview, email Danielle Nierenberg at danielle@foodtank.org or call 202-590-1037.

Chicago, IL — After decades of failed attempts to eradicate hunger, development agencies, international research institutions, non-profit organizations, and the funding and donor communities now see family farmers as key to alleviating global poverty and hunger. Recent estimates show that currently, 1.2 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty, and at least 870 million go to bed hungry every night. As the world gears up for the International Year of Family Farming in 2014, Food Tank: The Food Think Tank and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are highlighting effective ways to provide family farmers the tools they need to really nourish the world.

FAO’s High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) reports that approximately 96 percent of all the agricultural holdings in Africa measure less than ten hectares. FAO Agricultural Census data shows that around 80 percent of agricultural holdings in sub-Saharan Africa and 88 percent of those in developing countries in Asia measure less than 2 hectares.

Family farmers play a crucial role in resolving world hunger, but they’re also those most likely to fall victim to hunger and poverty. An estimated 800 million people living below the global poverty line work in the agricultural sector. In China and India alone there are respectively 189 million and 112 million smallholder farmers with plots measuring less than two hectares.

And yet, smallholder agriculture has great potential to reduce overall national poverty levels. According to a landmark World Bank report, an increase of one percent in agricultural GDP reduces poverty by four times as much as the same percentage increase in non-agricultural GDP.

Food Tank: The Food Think Tank is working with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to highlight the important role that family farmers play in the food system. Over the next two years, the both organizations will work to shine a spotlight on how family farming can enhance soil health, protect water supplies, improve nutrition, and increase incomes. Small-scale, family-run farms not only form the base of rural communities in both the developing and developed world and provide a large number of jobs, but they are also at the center of sustainable production.

“Most of the world’s farmers are smallholder and family farmers. But their knowledge and practices are not getting nearly the research and funding they need. Policymakers and business have focused on quantity over quality and have forgotten the important role family farming can play in improving nutrition,” says Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank co-founder.

Small-scale farmers can contribute significantly to the transformation of agriculture by managing land and water responsibly, protect water supplies, preserve and enhance biodiversity, and contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. A large study examining smallholder agriculture by the Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex covered 286 projects, over 37 million hectares in 57 developing countries, and found that when sustainable agriculture was adopted, average crop yields increased by 79 percent.

“By working with family farmers to build on their knowledge in the development of sustainable agricultural practices, we can improve resilience in the food system—including resilience to climate change, food price shocks, conflict, and natural disasters,” says Barbara Gemmill-Herren, Programme Officer at FAO.

Food Tank and FAO present five effective ways for NGOs, the funding and donor communities, and policy-makers to invest more effectively in family farming:

1. Promote sustainable agriculture methods
 
New farming methods, such as agroecology or ecological intensification, increase yields while reducing environmental impacts. In an analysis of 40 projects and programs, sustainable techniques like agroforestry and soil conservation were found to increase yields for African smallholder farmers. The Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) has partnered with Farmer and Nature Net (FNN) to promote the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which has been shown to increase yields and improve soil fertility while reducing the use of chemicals and maintaining local ownership of seeds.

2. Assist family farmers in adapting to climate change and short-term climate variability
 
Climate change will have large-scale effects on agriculture everywhere, and particularly on poor farmers in developing countries. According to IFAD, in Africa alone, because of climate change 75 million to 250 million more people will experience increased water stress by 2020. Year-to-year climate variability in the form of drought or flooding already has large-scale effects on food security today. Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Farmer Field Schools teaching smallholder farmers sustainablepractices in land and water management have proven highly effective in managing input such as pesticides more effectively while increasing yields and incomes

3. Promote policies to provide smallholders with legal titles to their land
 
At least one billion poor people lack secure rights to land. Securing legal land rights for family farmers can increase productivity, investment in land, and family income. Landesa works with countries to design and implement land rights programs, and has helped 100 million farmers obtain or secure ownership over their land.

4. Increase access to local markets
 
The small-scale production volumes of family farmers require value chains of appropriate scale. Farmers markets or Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) can provide a great venue for family farmers to sell their products directly to consumers. For example, the organization GrowNYC manages 54 markets in New York, providing a sales channel to 230 farms and fishermen.

5. Close the gender gap
 
Women farmers do not have the same access to credit, land, inputs, and extension services as their male counterparts. According to FAO, closing the gender gap in agricultural inputs alone could lift 100–150 million people out of hunger. The Latin American and Caribbean Center for Rural Women (Enlac) serves as an organizing voice for marginalized, rural women, calling for equal access to land rights, and, boosting access to clean water, and conserving native seeds.

If public and private sectors direct funding toward family farmers and research that would support them, smallholder agriculture can get the push it needs to nourish both people and the planet.

About Food Tank: Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.FoodTank.org), founded by Danielle Nierenberg and Ellen Gustafson, is a think tank focused on feeding the world better. We research and highlight environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity and poverty and create networks of people, organizations, and content to push for food system change.

About the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO’s efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO’s mandate is to improve nutrition, increase agricultural productivity, raise the standard of living in rural populations and contribute to global economic growth. FAO is the coordinating agency of the 2014 International Year of Family Farming.

Iron Chef Morimoto in Las Vegas

James Beard Foundation’s Taste America® “Local Flavor from Coast to Coast” Traveling Food Festival Comes to Las Vegas This Fall

- Tickets on Sale Now -

Food Enthusiasts and Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature Cardholders Are Invited to Join Taste America All-Star Masaharu Morimoto to Taste and Enjoy America’s Culinary Diversity September 27-28

LAS VEGAS, NV – Tickets are now on sale for The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast,” a national traveling food festival which will visit Las Vegas on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28. The five-weekend festival will visit 10 cities from September 20 through October 19, 2013. Taste America will showcase culinary all-stars and public events exploring the nation’s unique range of local cuisines in Las Vegas along with nine other cities including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Taste America is presented by the James Beard Foundation (JBF) in partnership with Chase Sapphire Preferred® Visa Signature®.

A weekend-long tour, Las Vegas’ Taste America festivities will kick-off on Friday, September 27 with a variety of free culinary consumer events throughout the city (from Downtown Las Vegas to Summerlin), and culminate in an exclusive dining event at The Mirage Hotel & Casino the evening of Saturday, September 28. A spectacular poolside gala tasting and reception, “A Taste of America” will be co-hosted by Taste America All-Star, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto (proprietor, Morimoto Restaurants) and Host Chef Christian Schmidt (The Mirage, Las Vegas). The event will also feature delectable dishes and cocktails from several of Las Vegas’ most celebrated local chefs, including James Beard Award winner François Payard (Payard), Paul Bartolotta (Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare), Saipin Chutima (Lotus of Siam), Luciano Pellegrini (Valentino), Eric Klein (Spago), Brian Massie (The Light Group), Laurent Tourondel (BLT Burger), Akira Back (Yellowtail Bellagio), Malcolm Mitchell (Mint Gastro Pub), Adam Arencibia (Japonais) and more.

Tickets for “A Taste of America” are now available for purchase at jbftasteamerica.org, and are priced at $120 per person, all-inclusive for the Mirage Tasting Event. The chef and champagne event is an added $75.00 and includes an afternoon tasting at Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge on the Bellagio fountains.   The James Beard Foundation is proud to donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to The Epicurean Charitable Foundation.

The Taste America culinary agenda for Las Vegas includes:

Friday, September 27

1:00 p.m.:        Bellagio Yellowtail Restaurant – Champagne, Sparkling, and Chefs (3600 Las Vegas Blvd S)

                       An afternoon of bubbly and heavenly creations from James Beard Award nominee Akira Back

Saturday, September 28

10:00 a.m.:       Sur La Table at Fashion Show Mall (3200 S Las Vegas Blvd #1175)

This full day of free consumer retail events features in-store chef appearances, from local artisans and producers as well as two very special cooking demonstrations and book signings. Chef demos are ticketed events and kitchen space is limited.  Pick up free tickets in store at Sur La Table now, and visit jbftasteamerica.org/event/las-vegas for further information.

11:30 a.m.:        Macy’s at Fashion Show Mall (Men’s Wing) - Cooking demonstration with JBF Award winner François Payard

12:30 p.m.:       Sur La Table – Book signing with François Payard, Chocolate Epiphany

2:00 p.m.:         Macy’s at Fashion Show Mall (Men’s Wing) - Cooking demonstration with All-Star Masaharu Morimoto, Iron Chef and proprietor of Morimoto Restaurants

3:00 p.m.:         Sur La Table - Book signing with Masaharu Morimoto, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking

8:00 p.m.:         “A Taste of America” Poolside Reception at The Mirage (3400 South Las Vegas Blvd)

Co-hosted by Taste America All-Star Masaharu Morimoto and Host Chef Christian Schmidt, the evening will include a tasting reception featuring delectable dishes and cocktails from several of Las Vegas’ finest restaurants at The Mirage’s award-winning pool. The ladies of FANTASY, the popular show at Luxor Hotel and Casino, will heat things up with a poolside performance. Immediately following the reception, VIP ticket holders will have access to an exclusive after party at 1 OAK nightclub.

“The Taste America traveling food festival will shine a light on the dynamic culinary cities across the country,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “Our Taste America chefs will be working with local farmers and artisanal producers of everything from cheese to chocolate. With the support of Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature, we are now able to bring together the best innovators in our food world to educate and entertain Americans about local flavors from coast to coast.”

The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is presented by Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature, a premier rewards credit card for people who love travel and dining. Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature cardholders will enjoy exclusive benefits not available to the public at James Beard Foundation’s Taste America events, including access to chefs, recipes, preferred seating, and more.

The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is supported by retail partner, Sur La Table, national media partner, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and national sponsors including Breville, Delta Air Lines, The Gulf Oyster Industry Council, and Lurpak® butter.

ZEGO Bar Promotion

A quick update from ZEGO world headquarters:

Share the ZEGO love! We have a special AMAZON discount promo code to share with you as a thanks for your support. Order 2 boxes or more and receive 10% off when you use the code "GOGOZEGO" at checkout, for a price of only $2.25 per bar. Feel free to share it liberally with your friends and family. Be sure to buy soon, the promotion will be good only for the next 4 weeks.

Foods That Harm Foods That Heal Cookbook Now On Shelves!

NEW COOKBOOK UNVEILS HEALTHIEST FOODS AND DELICIOUS RECIPES

TO FEEL BETTER, BEAT DISEASE AND LIVE LONGER

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook Companion Provides More than 1,000 Ideas to

Eat the Best Foods at Every Meal

NEW YORK, NY – When Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal first hit shelves, readers discovered the connection that food and diet have to chronic conditions and specific ailments. Based on this best-selling book’s popularity and the continued interest in food as medicine, the pioneering food guide’s kitchen companion, Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook is now on shelves.

Curated by the editors at Reader’s Digest, Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook serves as a practical, daily guide that unveils the truth behind healing and harming foods, showing how to put this knowledge to use in the kitchen, with 250 recipes that are packed with superfoods, and sample menu ideas that address more than 100 conditions.

“Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook helps readers integrate advanced nutritional knowledge into their day-to-day cooking and meal planning,” said Courtenay Smith, Executive Editor, Reader’s Digest. “We're giving people the tools they need to incorporate healing superfoods into their diets, while ditching the surprising foods that can harm them. They’ll also get recipes, meal plans and tips to finding and incorporating the best foods for their particular health goals.”

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook is an easy-to-use, one-stop guide that provides an A-Z summary of foods, along with recipes and daily meal plans that address various ailments – from arthritis to heart disease – and how to treat them with what you eat. It answers questions that might surprise readers: should migraine sufferers cook with red wine? Is ginger dangerous for pregnant women? Did you know that eating fish can help prevent memory loss, inflammation, strokes and even cardiovascular disease?

Divided into three sections, Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook offers a fresh menu for better living, so readers can start cooking up healthier diets:

• Directory of Foods – An A-Z index of almost 150 foods and selected lists of “What They Heal,” “How They Harm” and the nutrients they provide, as well as serving sizes and calorie amounts, advice on buying the best products, keeping them fresh and how to easily prepare them. You’ll also find special sidebars about foods that you should enjoy “In Moderation Only” and tips to making them healthier when you indulge. 

• 250 Recipes for Good Health – Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be time-consuming, expensive or bland, as proven in the book’s second section. The recipes cover breakfasts, soups and stews, salads and lighter meals, sandwiches, entrees, sides, snacks, desserts and even drinks, and includes everything from mouthwatering Blueberry Oat Scones to soul-satisfying Mac ‘n’ Cheese Primavera. Most importantly, each recipe features at least three – if not, more! – of the healing foods, along with a list of ailments that it may help.

• Ailments: Heal What Ails You – Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can go a long way towards improving your overall well-being. This section offers an alphabetical listing of more than 100 ailments – from a common sore throat to debilitating conditions such as multiple sclerosis – explaining which foods can cause or exacerbate a condition and which can help prevent or treat it. At the heart of each entry is a one-day meal plan that shows how to get more healing foods into your diet while minimizing the harmful ones. The daily meal plan uses recipes from the cookbook to show readers how to seamlessly incorporate healing foods into a daily diet, along with additional tips about how – and when – to eat for each ailment. 

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook includes the latest and the most up-to-date information to help readers make the best dietary choices for their health.

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal Cookbook

Pub date: August 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-62145-060-3

Paperback/$19.99

Available August 1 at www.rd.com/foodsthatheal and wherever books are sold.

About Foods That Harm Foods That Heal Cookbook

The first edition of Foods that Harm, Foods That Heal – the pioneering guide, published in 1997 – changed the way we view food and its impact on our bodies. More than seven million copies of the book have been sold worldwide since then. As researchers continued to discover the crucial connections between diet and chronic conditions, the 2013 edition was updated and entirely reformatted to make it easier to find the facts one needs at-a-glance. Since then, readers have been asking for a cookbook companion to help put this newfound knowledge to use. Foods That Harm Foods That Heal Cookbook is an answer to these requests, offering authoritative and practical advice on a fresh menu for better living.

About Reader’s Digest

Reader’s Digest simplifies and enriches consumers’ lives by discovering and expertly selecting the most interesting ideas, stories, experiences and products in health, home, family, food, finance and humor. Recognized by 99% of American adults, Reader’s Digest is available in print; online at ReadersDigest.com; via digital download on iPad, mobile apps, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Nook, Sony Reader and Zinio; books and home entertainment products; Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets.

OneHundredTables.com Showcases Dive Bar to Five Star Dining Experiences

 

Officially launched in 10 cities, plans to open 10 more this month

 

ATLANTA, GA September 17, 2013 – OneHundredTables.com is exactly what it sounds like. It’s about showcasing 100 of the best restaurants & bars in 100 top cities worldwide. These restaurants are all beautifully presented in a fun, easy-to-use city grid to help foodies discover their next great dining experience.

 

For restaurants that qualify, they can add themselves to their city while space lasts.  When a city reaches 100 restaurants, it is full and that’s the unique city collection.

 

“For diners worldwide our mission is to help them discover fabulous places to eat and drink by presenting them with a shortlist of 100 surefire options,” said Tony Akston, Co-Founder of OneHundredTables.com. “For restaurateurs our mission is to help bring enthusiastic customers into their door and ensure those customers are happy because they trusted the recommendation on OneHundredTables.com.”

 

OneHundredTables.com doesn’t rely on some hidden rating system or stuffy reviewer to make each unique collection of 100 dining experiences in each city. It taps into insight from the very people who know the restaurants best - the diners who’ve been there. To even have a shot at getting on OneHundredTables.com a restaurant must have over 250 likes. 

 

“OneHundredTables.com gives our company the opportunity to truly showcase the feel and experience of all our restaurants,” said Ryan Turner, co-founder of Atlanta-based Muss & Turners, Local Three Kitchen & Bar and Common Quarter. "It is an inexpensive way to be included in a uniquely exclusive platform for discerning diners to research where to eat when in Atlanta. The Facebook requirement helps bring a level of trust to first time diners which is key in decision making."  

 

What’s in it for foodies?

• From Dive Bars to Five Stars, every place is good. Period. 

• Foodies know that it’s all about the food and overall experience. OneHundredTables.com delivers just that.

• OneHundredTables.com only focuses on the restaurants and dining experiences. Do you try to find your next dining experience in the same place you look for an auto-mechanic? I’d think not. 

• Site visitors are not sifting through all the local chain restaurants and multitude of reviews. All restaurants on OneHundredTables.com have been vetted by real customers. 

What’s in it for restaurants?

• Exclusivity: Be included in a group of 100 quality restaurants, not 3,000. No chains allowed.

• A gorgeous, photogenic profile, built with SEO in mind.

• Get reconnected: Restaurants give up their #1 asset when using other reservation websites - their customers. OneHundredTables.com reconnects restaurants with their diners. 

• Value: On OneHundredTables.com, qualifying restaurants that add themselves to the site pay only $100 per year. Only 27 cents a day.  The butter on the table costs more.

• Ease: Restaurants aren’t being strong-armed into paying for placement or flattering reviews. OneHundredTables.com only takes 100 restaurants per city and they have to meet minimum social media requirements to be included.
• Organic Promotion: Each profile features a powerful “Been There!” button that shares your profile page directly into the Facebook Timeline of the person who clicked it for all to see.

"Websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor are great for the restaurant industry, but what sets OneHundredTables.com apart is its exclusivity, simple and straightforward functionality, and clean look,” said Josh Hoffman, restaurant marketing executive.  “That's why I told my client Brent's Deli in Los Angeles it was a no-brainer to join OneHundredTables.com."

 

About OneHundredTables.com

 

OneHundredTables.com is the most unique place in the world to discover a great place to eat or drink - from Dive Bars to Five Stars. OneHundredTables.com is currently showcasing top restaurants in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dubai, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Toronto.  Restaurants located in the remaining 90 cities can pre-register their restaurant on www.OneHundredTables.com and will be notified when their city opens.

How To Entertain, Low Lifes, Celebrities, Friends and Enemies

For Immediate Release

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Food Writer's New Cookbook, How To Entertain Low Lifes, Celebrities, Friends and Enemies, Shares Tips on Entertaining Everyone from Celebrities to Hipsters

Los Angeles, California,  August 26, 2013 –  A new cookbook teaches readers how to entertain anyone from unemployed friends to world-famous famous celebrities with culinary delights. How to Entertain Low Lifes, Celebrities, Friends and Enemies by food writer Petrit Husenaj offers a tongue-in-cheek look at how to prepare some of the best food for a variety of individuals.

Using short humorous stories, Husenaj weaves in how-to chapters teaching anyone to prepare a feast to surprise a dinner guest and for which parents can (finally) be proud of their children. Husenaj's writing is sharp and the recipes hot as he shows young homemakers how to slice, dice and dazzle any house guest.  Even if they don't want to be in the home!

How to Entertain Low Lifes, Celebrities, Friends and Enemies features chapters on the most unlikely of dinner guests, including bosses, celebrities, lesbians, hipsters, gays, vegans, Ina Garten (based on an experience the writer had at her home), Bravo's Andy Cohen, comedienne Chelsea Handler and more.

Husenaj is a Los Angeles-based food writer from New York City, and has developed his irresistible recipes in a funny yet helpful ebook for anyone who needs a hand in entertaining, and also wants a good laugh.  The secret is a recipe that wows them, even when they don't even want to be in the home and might take pleasure laughing at the cook's expense.

“When I cook for my parents, I never spend a lot of money. Parents hate seeing their children spend money. What they want is to see me suffer. They want to know that I gave up drinking, partying and hanging out with my friends to cook them something that forced me to stay home the entire day,” Husenaj stated.

How to Entertain Low Lifes, Celebrities, Friends and Enemies is available now on the Amazon Kindle and iTunes bookstores.

Italy's De Cecco Pasta offers Fall Recipe using Fall's bounty of colorful vegetables

WITH FALL’S BOUNTY OF COLORFUL VEGETABLES

DE CECCO PASTA OFFERS MOUTHWATERING FALL RECIPE

ITALY’S CELEBRATED PASTA COMPANY COOKING UP PREMIUM PASTA

FOR 120 TASTEFUL YEARS IN THE USA

Sept, 2013 -- Fall offers a bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables that are delicious and packed with nutritional benefits. This is the best time of year to enjoy a variety of healthful produce such as orange winter squash, yellow pepper, Brussels sprouts, okra and turnips, among others.  They are especially delicious when part of a pasta dish, offering an excellent source of fiber that’s low in calories and cholesterol, but packed with flavor.  De Cecco, the Italian premium pasta maker, invites you to taste the De Cecco Difference using this fall recipe, in celebration of 120 tasteful years in the USA.

De Cecco is unlike many other pastas available on supermarket shelves today.  Carefully made in the mountains of Central Italy, De Cecco uses a proprietary process to make more than 160 different pasta shapes. This process starts with full control of the milling process and using only the heart of durum wheat to produce premium semolina, then mixing it with cool natural waters from De Cecco’s own mountain spring, drawing the semolina dough through bronze dies and drying the pasta very slowly at a low temperature.

Though time consuming, this process yields a great tasting pasta with a perfect semolina color that cooks al dente every time, retaining its shape and all of its nutritional goodness thereby assuring the highest quality pasta for American tables. 

That’s why De Cecco is the pasta of choice for many of the most noted chefs internationally, and why De Cecco enjoys a superior reputation in Italy and around the world. Today the family owned company is the third largest pasta producer in the world.  De Cecco pasta has been recognized with several certifications for customer satisfaction, food safety and purity, and is certified kosher.

Use this fall recipe featuring healthy De Cecco Whole Wheat or Spinach Fusilli as is, or change it up with your favorite fall vegetables:

Brussels Sprout, Cauliflower and Shiitake Fusilli

Prep Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound De Cecco Whole Wheat Fusilli or Spinach Fusilli
8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed
12 ounces cauliflower florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup De Cecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% Italian Olives, divided
4 medium shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced

7 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and Brussels sprouts according to pasta package direction, adding cauliflower during last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 15 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned. Remove from the heat.
3. Return hot cooked pasta, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower to pot; add reserved pasta water and mushroom mixture. Set aside 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and reserved parsley.

Announcing Spain's Tapas Trail

Trade Commission of Spain in New York Announces Spain’s Tapas Trail 2013 NEW YORK, September 3, 2013 – The Trade Commission of Spain announced today that the first annual Spain’s Tapas Trail will take place from October 1st, 2013 to October 8th, 2013 throughout New York City at participating restaurants. Spain’s Tapas Trail will be a culinary odyssey of distinctive Spanish food, wines and beers at the top Spanish restaurants in Manhattan. This city wide extravaganza is a continuation of celebrating Spanish culture that will kick off at Spain’s Great Match on September 24th, 2013. During the first week of October, the foodies of New York City will have the opportunity to taste the best of Spain by following the trail of the 13 participating restaurants. Restaurants include Alcalá, Andanada, Barraca Restaurant, Casa Mono y Bar Jamón, Salinas Restaurant & Tapas Bar, Socarrat Chelsea, Socarrat Nolita, Socarrat East, La Churreria, La Nacional, Solera, Tertulia and Txikito. Each participating restaurant will create a unique tapa and drink pairing special for ten dollars ($10). Each limited-edition tapa will incorporate jamón ibérico (cured Iberian ham), complimented by a tasting of Spanish olives and a palate-tantalizing Rioja red wine, Rueda white wine or Estrella Damm beer. “This tapa and drink pairing is something not to be missed. We are so excited for Spain’s Tapas Trail and look forward to many more in years to come,” said Jeffrey Shaw, Director of Foods from Spain. This Tapas Trail special will only be available at each restaurant from October 1st, 2013 – October 8th, 2013 or while supplies last. Details are subject to change; for updated information please visit www.greatmatch.org/tapastrail.
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Consumer advocates want Dannon to more clearly label bug-based ingredients

Lunch Box Wars: consumer advocates want Dannon to more clearly label bug-based ingredients
 

Los Angeles, CA, September 17, 2013—Taken aback by Dannon’s blasé attitude about using an allergenic, bug-based extract and not just berries to color their yogurt, one of the nation’s most powerful natural health watchdog groups is pressuring the yogurt giant—and hundreds of other food companies—to come clean with consumers.

Citizens for Health, the consumer advocacy group best known for keeping dietary supplements legal and for protecting the integrity of organic labeling, wants Dannon and other food companies who use the insect-based dye carmine, also known as cochineal extract,  in their products to more clearly label them or switch to plant-based alternatives.

“When consumers asked Starbucks to stop using bugs in their Frappacinos last year, the company responded with sensitivity and complied within 48 hours without any further prompting,” says Jim Turner, president of Citizens for Health and former food policy advisor for Ralph Nader. “It’s mindboggling that Dannon would so off-handedly dismiss the very same consumer request.  They’re just crying out to be challenged.”

Citizens for Health has partnered with a national fitness guru to help get their message out.  Michelle Dozois, creator of several multi-million-selling fitness DVDs, is using her influence in the health and fitness community to educate consumers further.

“Michelle is a leader in the health and fitness community, but also a mom who believes that her kids deserve better than bugs,” Turner says.  “She can talk mom to mom.” 

Dozois is asking people to sign a petition posted on the Take Action website at http://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/berries-over-bugs-tell-dannon-get-insects-out-yogurt. The petition was organized by the scientist-led advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest that first put Dannon in the spotlight this summer. “Our two groups work closely together,” Turner says, “and truth in labeling is an important shared value.” 

 “I’m not opposed to people eating insects if that’s what they want to do,” says Dozois, “I just don’t want to be tricked into putting bug-based extracts into my kids’ lunch boxes. I want Dannon and other food companies to clearly label bugs!”

New White House Nutrition Initiative: Ensure Your Children Eat Better

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ensure Your Children Eat Better with Tasty Salads

The Association for Dressings and Sauces Supports Michelle Obama’s Efforts to Promote Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among our nation’s Children

(September 18, 2013) ATLANTA, Ga. — In support of the First Lady’s announcement today regarding the need to increase healthy eating among the nation’s children, the Association for Dressings and Sauces (ADS) is sharing tips and ideas to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption.

“ADS supports healthful food options for our nation’s children,” says ADS’ Executive Director, Jeannie Milewski, M.S. Food Science. “We created and have celebrated National Salad Month for the past 20 years and share Michelle Obama’s passion for educating the next generation on healthy food choices.”

According to the ADS, incorporating salads into children’s diets is an excellent way to help them meet their recommended nutrient needs each day. Selecting a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables for salads ensures that they’re eating a wide range of beneficial nutrients.

It is important to note that some dietary fat is essential, provides energy and helps the body absorb key nutrients. The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended increased use of oils to replace solid fats, where possible. Oil-based salad dressings are made with healthy oils, such as soybean, canola and olive, and can be part of a well-balanced diet. In addition, the vast majority of salad dressings are free of trans fat.

Research shows that the healthy oils in salad dressings help the body absorb the vegetables’ important nutrients such as vitamins C and E and folate.  And, without the great taste of commercial salad dressings, some children may choose to avoid fresh salads, fruits and vegetables altogether.

It’s possible to enjoy a different salad every day of the year. Health conscious consumers can find hundreds of creative salad recipes on www.saladaday.org along with information about the health benefits of eating salads with dressing.

A great, kid-friendly salad recipe incorporating both fruits and vegetables is the Fall Harvest Waldorf Salad. Use fresh fruits, vegetables and a favorite, commercial salad dressing to help your kids enjoy eating healthfully. 

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About the Association for Dressings & Sauces

The Association for Dressings & Sauces is an international trade association representing manufacturers of salad dressing, mayonnaise, and condiment sauces and suppliers to this industry. Visit www.dressings-sauces.org for more information.

Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle

2-Time ‘Cupcake Wars’ Winner Shares
Delicious Gluten-Free Desserts 

Bakery Owner Tosses the Flour but Keeps the Flavor

More than ever, people understand that our bodies just weren’t designed to handle the amount of processed flour found in many of today’s food

Some people with vague, undiagnosed illnesses feel better after cutting out gluten, a protein in flour-based foods. Many Americans, including professional athletes and celebrities such as Zooey Deschanel and men’s tennis leader Djovak Nokovic, say they look and perform better since dropping gluten from their diets.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people who commit to a gluten-free lifestyle believe they have to sacrifice their favorite desserts, because gluten-free treats are often loaded with sugar but low on flavor,” says Kyra Bussanich, (www.kyrasbakeshop.com), author of a new, full-color recipe book, “Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle” (Ten Speed Press; Random House, Inc.).

Bussanich’s gluten-free cupcakes twice bested their floury competition on “Cupcake Wars” (2011 and 2012) and were a runner-up for the show’s Cupcake Champion. She shares her secrets in recipes such as Mexican Chocolate Baked Alaska, Persian Love Cakes with Cardamom Buttercream and Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Blackberry Coulis.

After suffering a life-threatening illness at 20, Bussanich recovered with the help of a new diet without gluten. She began testing gluten-free recipes while attending the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu patisserie program and later opened her popular business, Kyra’s Bake Shop.

“My recipes are not good ‘for being gluten-free;’ they’re just good, and that’s why people who eat gluten visit my bakery and order gluten-free desserts,” she says. “For me, being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease allowed me to turn lemons into gluten-free lemon meringue pie!”

She invites anyone who doubts that gluten-free can be delicious to try the following recipe:

Apple Crisp
6 large tart apples (Pippin or Granny Smith)
⅓ cup sugar, or ¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Generous pinch salt
3 tablespoons cold butter

Topping
½ cup sweet white rice flour
½ cup millet flour
½ cup tapioca starch
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup butter, room temperature
¾ cup gluten-free oats
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
 
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel, core and slice the apples into ¼-inch slices. Put the apple slices into a large bowl and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Add the tapioca starch, cinnamon, five-spice, ginger and salt and toss together to evenly coat the apple slices. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, dot the top with pieces of the butter and set aside. To make the topping, combine the flours, tapioca starch, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, five-spice and ginger in a mixing bowl. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix in the butter until it is uniformly incorporated into the flour mixture. Stir in the oats and pecans.

Crumble the oat topping evenly over the apples. Bake until the topping is golden brown and set and the apples are warm and bubbly, 55 to 60 minutes.

You can prepare everything ahead of time. Refrigerate the apple filling and keep the topping frozen until ready to assemble and bake. Don’t refrigerate the unbaked topping overnight since the millet flour will interact with the butter and taste and smell cheesy when it’s baked.

About Kyra Bussanich

Kyra Bussanich is a two-time winner of The Food Network’s hit show, “Cupcake Wars.” She graduated with honors from Le Cordon Bleu and opened her award-winning bakery, Kyra's Bake Shop, which features gourmet, gluten-free sweets. She has branched beyond desserts to other gluten-free goods in order to help those with celiac and other autoimmune diseases enjoy quality treats.