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Pull The Plug on T.V. Time

    "Shut the t.v.! Dinner is getting cold! Come here now!" So, you come home from a long day at work. Your kids finished their homework and now they're watching t.v. as you cook and they wait for dinner. But, somehow the act of "waiting for dinner" has disappeared and you have 2 zombies captivated by their favorite hypnotic show.
    Here are specific steps you can take to avoid the yelling and frustration. 

    1.Communicate "why" working together 
        is important
    2. If necessary, tailor the words to fit your             style of speaking
    3. Be consistent in your words and actions
    4. Establish eye contact as you speak with             them

Guidelines
    1. Walk with your kids to the t.v. room and sit down with them to explain the importance of working as a "team". 
    2. Lay out the plan with them that you will walk into the room and give 1 warning telling them how much time is left before they are to turn off the t.v.  Emphasize that after the warning, you will tell them to turn off the t.v. only 1 time. 
    3. Ask what consequence would be fair if they don't turn it off when you ask. (If the kids don't know what consequence means then explain it. When asked, kids usually come up with very meaningful consequences!)
    4. Ask the kids to turn off the t.v.
    5. Remind them of the sequence of steps with the tv on because they will be watching it when you give the warning and when time is up. 
    6. Ask:
Parent: "What will happen first?" 
Kids: "You will give us a warning."
Parent: "What will happen next?"
Kids: "You will tell us only 1 x to turn it off."
Parent: "What if you don't turn it off?"
Kids:  (They state the agreed upon consequence)
    7.  Leave the room and continue with your normal routine. 
    8. Warning: Walk back to the room and say, "Kids, look at me. This is your warning. You have X minutes left." (Your tone of voice should be supportive.) 
    9. When time is up, walk to the room. Ask for eye contact and tell them to turn off the t.v.
    10. If they listened: Praise them sincerely! If they did not: follow through on the consequence.

It Gets Even Easier!
After a few weeks your kids will be accustomed to your consistency and aware of your expectations. Give your kids an opportunity of growth and to exercise some independence. Kids are always proud of themselves when they make positive choices especially when those choices are not so easy. To see your child grow will fill you with pride. You will also feel like an accomplished parent and everyone will be working as a team!

Successful setting of limits evolves from talking with one another instead of at one another. Things will run smoother when you validate your kid's feelings and by being consistent with your actions and words.

 Lisa Navarra M.A. Special Education offers Workshops, Professional Development and Support Groups teaching how to manage challenging behaviors in school and at home. With over 20 years of experience, Lisa is the Founder/
President of Child Behavior Consulting, LLC. For more information, log onto
www.childbehaviorconsulting.com, email
Lisa@ChildBehaviorConsulting.com, or Verizon Fios Push Pause LI Parenting: Setting Limits.

 

 

All In 1 Vape

 

    Vaping is a growing trend that helps people who smoke cigarettes and chewing tobacco to ween off of their dependence of nicotine. Attached to the device is a tank or atomizer which holds the e-liquids. 

    In turn, a coil which vaporizers the e-liquid to produce a vapor, mimicking the feel of smoking a cigarette. 

    The cotton acts like a wick and as the coil is heated, it draws in more e-liquid. There are many styles to choose from. There are small pen style which are great for those traveling and fits in a bag or pocket. 
    
    There are others called box mods that are much larger but you are able to make various adjustments. These adjustments create a better taste, vapor production and overall experience. When purchasing a box mod, you have the ability to choose from different size tanks
(atomizers) which in turn can hold more e-liquid and decrease refill frequency. All in one Vape offers larger box mods with higher wattage that carry 2 batteries for longer lasting device usage. Prices for a starter kit starts at $50 and range to $90. All other box mods and mech mods start at $40 to about $200.

108A Broadway • Greenlawn
631-759-7994
www.allin1vape.com

 

If you want to BE Happy, BE Proactive!

    We tend to be more of a Reactive society vs. a Proactive society.  Sometimes we just do not see things coming or an outcome completely contradicts what we believe to be reality. At times, the writing is on the wall, the situations and scenarios are all pointing towards a likely outcome and we just fail to take action.  As a result of our inactivity, the inevitable ensues.  In situations that speak to disastrous outcomes – usually – the result is a mess.  It is the less than glamorous outcome that may never have taken place had we decided to make our move just a couple of moments sooner.

Therefore, you must act…NOW!  
To be happy, you must live with honor 
and be situationally aware.   

Remember:

    • Live you life by action, not words.
    • Own your errors in relationships.
    • Value the weight of your name and         the reputation that goes with it
    • ALWAYS take action to intersect 
        issues that are small problems 
        before they become large 
        problems.  
    It is common for people to solicit advice and “take surveys” of how to handle an unfolding problem.  Beware false prophets and those who preach how YOU should live your life through pro-active means and then negate those statements by their own inactivity, hypocrisy, or lack of action.  There are many people who thrive on the power to tell others what to do and offer “sage advice.”  Unfortunately, these folks tend to be the same people who love to direct others’ actions and then fail to follow their own advice. 

    Being happy requires proactivity. Stay vigilant and alert.  It is always important to recognize when the right time is to step in before life writes the ending for you.  The sooner you intercede in life’s theater, the greater the likelihood will be that you can control a dramatic ending.  Be mindful of your surroundings and the people in it and through diligent effort, you can work to find and achieve your happiness. 

Phil Sottile is a 20-year 
veteran of the Applied Fitness and Exercise Sciences, hosts the 
“Intelligent Way to Fitness” 
on LI Cablevision since 2005, 
published a book on relationship management, and owns/operates one of Long Island’s “Best Gyms,” with his wife, Stacey. 
phil@intelligentfitness.net

 

 

A Vino-Vacation is Nothing To Wine About!

With summer saying farewell and travel prices falling back down out of the stratosphere people are planning seasonal getaways. A popular trip is the wine vacation. While California might be the first place to come to mind, made even more popular due to the success of the movie, “Sideways” it’s certainly not the only wine destination. In fact, whether you want to venture to the other side of the globe, or not too much further than your own backyard there are plenty of wine vacations that fit the bill.
       Let’s start with not just this continent, but this state. Our own beautiful and award-wining vineyards are the way to go. Knowing that staying overnight “out east” during the high season can be pricey, with rooms at their highest cost and minimum stay requirements of two, and often three nights, it makes perfect sense to wait until the beginning of the fall to enjoy the Long Island vineyards. Info can be found on not only vineyards, but also lodging options www.liwines.com. Many local B&Bs are situated within walking distance to multiple vineyards. If you opt for more of a hotel or Inn experience, a short cab ride can get you to almost any vineyard of your choosing. There is also the “tour” option for those more open into having a limo company organize their vineyard experience. These tours usually include three vineyards, lunch and all transportation. Cars range in size from large party buses to smaller town cars suited for one or two couples.
       Starting fairly close by, Connecticut has a wine trail with a variety of vineyards. My sister, sister-in-law and I chose this as our, “Girls weekend away,” one summer and had tremendous fun. Scenery was beautiful, the people warm and friendly and the wine at two vineyards: DiGrazia and Haight-Brown Vineyards, was exceptional. The drive was short and accommodations in local hotels were affordable. Look here for info on the CT Wine Trail. www.ctwine.com
       Want to go “upstate?” As close as the
Hudson Valley, less than two hours from NYC, www.hudsonvalleywinecountry.org or as far
as the Finger Lakes www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com and Niagara niagarawinetrail.org.   New York has numerous wine trails to explore.
       Ready to venture off the continent? Google Italian wine tours for an assortment of guided tours and destinations. Prefer South America? Chilean wine tours are also popular. Not opposed to being on a plane for a day or so? Australia’s southeastern neighbor, New Zealand, also boasts a booming wine industry, more than just Sauvignon Blanc, as well as breath taking scenery. The reviews of this vacation destination are stellar and their seasons and ours are flip-flopped. Leave during our winter, get there during their summer. 

Linda Delmonico Prussen is an award-winning journalist whose passion is wine. Her other forms of generating income include acting in TV and film, playwriting and coaching gymnastics. When not working she enjoys spending time with her three beautiful daughters, her husband, her friends, her family and her best friend, her Maltipoo Powder. She can be reached at lprussen@optonline.net

 

 

Get Involved In Your Community and Have Fun at the Same Time

Victoria is an accomplished 11 year old Animal Educator and Journalist
recognized by Dowling College for her excellence in the field of Arts and
Sciences. Victoria also teaches in schools and libraries where she shares first hand her knowledge and experiences in a
series of educational programs that
she developed.
VictoriasAmazingWorld@yahoo.com

Recently I had a chance to talk to the amazing Dr. Jane Goodall about her wonderful youth program Roots and Shoots. Roots and Shoots is an exciting program designed to help kids make a difference in their community. Starting a Roots and Shoots project is easy. Step 1: Spread the word about making a difference. Step 2: Explore your community and find an area where you'd like to make a difference. Step 3: Pick a place where you feel you will have the greatest impact and start your campaign. Step 4: At the end of the campaign, celebrate your success and the difference you made. 

Dr. Goodall says "People who join, become more connected with nature and their community". To get all the details, including a complete Roots & Shoots Formula Toolkit go to www.RootsandShoots.org. 

Another easy way to get involved in your community is to volunteer and there are so many ways to do so. If you’re really good at something and would enjoy teaching others about it, you can contact your local library and offer to teach a class. Whether its photography, cooking, artwork or something else you're passionate about give them a call, I know they’ll appreciate it. The libraries offer wonderful facilities and they will handle getting the word out as well as the registration for your class. 

If teaching a class is not your thing, animal shelters always need a helping hand. And if you can’t leave home but still want to volunteer, then become a foster parent for animals. When you become a foster parent you take in a dog/cat (or some other type of animal) until it finds its forever home. This happens a lot when shelters have no more room for all the animals. 

To check out my full interview with Jane Goodall go to VictoriasAmazingWorld.com.

Victoria’s Fun Facts and Tips

The Roots and Shoots program is in 130 countries with over 150,000 members.

You can receive a $200.00 grant to get your project started by simply going to the Root and Shoots website and applying.

You can volunteer at the Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown at age 16 and in some cases at age 13. They offer a wide range of projects that you can help with. For more info. go to www.sweetbriarnc.org and click on the 'Volunteering' tab.

 

Brunch at The Oar

Joe Alicata is a 2009 graduate of 
Northport High School, he has his B.A. in Public Administration from the 
University at Albany. Joe works in the insurance industry, is a member of the 
Advisory Board for the Northport High School Academy of Finance (AOF) 
program, and is a Director for 
Northport Student's Mean Business. 
He can be reached at etrestaurants@gmail.com

With the last few days of enjoyable weather giving way to the crisp and borderline depressing slide into winter that fall represents having melted away, I took the opportunity to enjoy one last meal outdoors in the form of a “brunch” at The Oar in Patchogue. 
I have been going to The Oar for years with my family, and even rescued an otherwise disastrous evening with my ex by swinging by for some late night eats. But in all the time I’ve been venturing down to the riverfront restaurant I had never gone for any meal other than dinner. So when the
opportunity presented itself to enjoy the expertly prepared cuisine The Oar has to offer, needless to say I jumped at the opportunity. 
    For my visit, I started things off with one of the most
interesting Bloody Mary’s I have come across. “The Oar” BLT Bloody Mary is an ingenious libation consisting of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, jalapeno bacon, romaine lettuce and tomato with a sea salt bacon rim shot. The combination of the zip from the jalapeno and horseradish combined with the salty bacon flavor creates a delicious and unique flavor combination that will leave you wanting more. 
    Once I had finished wallowing in the glory of my BLT Bloody Mary, it was time for the appetizers. I’m not sure if I have ever been as excited about a menu item as I was when I read the description for a lobster quesadilla; but there may or may not have been a point when my table was in danger of being flipped over out of sheer giddiness. This mouthwatering quesadilla features generous pieces of lobster with melted cheeses and served with traditional quesadilla dressings of salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The tortilla is perfectly crispy, the cheese is nicely melted and the lobster meat is tender and flavorful, despite being surrounded by other potent flavors. Another mouth-watering appetizer selection is the lobster wontons. Crispy, not greasy and well stuffed these are a great compliment to the lobster quesadilla to complete your midday lobster binge. If that is too much lobster for your liking, the baked clams are another well executed dish, stuffed with ample amounts of seasoned bread crumbs, bacon, peppers and crab meat.
    Moving into lunch, The Oar has a number of options to satisfy all in your party, even those who do not enjoy seafood. Stepping away from lobster, I went with the Sundek Clam Roll; perfectly fried clam strips on a soft New England style bun served with sliced avocado and chipotle mayo. Another delicious seafood sandwich option is the panko crusted flounder served on a brioche roll with tartar sauce and a side of the legendary Oar fries. For those out there who prefer land fare, try the grilled chicken panini with sweet vinegar peppers, fresh basil pesto and melted Swiss cheese; or the marinated flat iron steak. 
    For a meal with a view year round that can satisfy any palate, head on down to The Oar, right on the banks of the Patchogue river for outstanding cuisine that will leave you coming back for more.

 

Grab Your Coat


Collette is fashion forward and 
design orientated.  Practicing a 
healthy lifestyle, she is a stylist & wardrobe consultant. A Bachelors in communications and marketing, years of experience in the garment district, she celebrates everyday with enthusiasm for fashion and beauty while helping other women achieve their personal best.
Collettep24@yahoo.com     
     The autumn palette fans out its feathers, just as the beautiful peacock displays his distinctive train of colors. We admire the vibrant stunning character of each and every hue. As we enjoy the fall season wearing a poncho and drinking our pumpkin latte, its time to think about the “coat.”

     Its time to think chic, no matter what the weather brings. Its all about the coat! The coat is making a huge statement this season whether a classic silhouette or trendingcolor, the choice is yours.  

     The menswear statement is mild, classic, and always a polished look. In wool, cashmere, or tweed this coat style yields a hem just about mid thigh. Always a lapel and often shoulder pads. Most often there are three large buttons, no zippers and slit pockets. It’s a no brainer for the working gal but do feel free to pair jeans and booties to get a whole new spin on the weekend.

     The wrap coat is a must for over dresses, skirts, leggings, or a lean pointe pant. Nothing too heavy worn under the wrap coat. With this particular silhouette, the cinched-waist style the wrap screams to debut your waist.  Not to worry about length here. The wrap is all about keeping the vibe elegant with a relaxed shape, mimicking the oversized shirt/shirt dress. The texture such as a soft wool or boucle looks effortless and is flattering on every shape. The belt does not have to be cinched in to the full capacity, just gently gathered. 

     Who could walk away from a swing? The movement of the swing coat has tugged on our hearts for decades. The flow, the ease, the shape. The swing is a true closet classic that can simply be updated by mixing up new colors. However there is no trend that does not support the vintage vibe. If it was your Mothers or Aunts, power it up!!!

     This fall and holiday season we are seeing some clear-cut winners. The hues of “desert sage” a smooth cool soothing greenish gray. An easy color to slip into a coat thanks to its versatility and it’s not a screamer. “Masala,” is a winery of reds and browns, a rich robust fall mood instantly. This color is another inspiration to break up your black coat collection. A powerful blue gray that is strong and confident, such as “Stormy weather,” is another winner this season.

     The moments to treasure this fall and holiday season are endless. The time spent with family and friends are priceless.  Enjoy yourself in style. Pick a color, grab that coat and get glowing!

 

Dishin with Denise… Inside Out Stuffed Peppers


Denise Gianatasio is a Northport 
Village resident and freelance writer. 
She is a licensed agent at Signature 
Premier Properties, 172 Main Street, Northport 631-754-3600. Denise 
enjoys cooking and sharing her recipes and family stories, as she wants to inspire a warm sense of home with her readers. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at  
dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

The beautiful fall season is upon us, the days are shorter, a bit cooler and dining outdoors may be on hold for awhile. The good news, ~ this brings us back into our homey kitchens, preparing warmer, heartier, cozy meals for our family. Whether you’re in or out try my "zany take" on stuffed peppers! Inside out is a much quicker and easier method for stuffing peppers. Feel free to select from the beautiful array of colors, as peppers are now making their debut. My absolute favorites are the yellow and orange peppers, I think they are sweeter. The variety of colors creates a pretty fall meal presentation. So with the new season comes the new reason for cooking ~ even if they are inside out!

When selecting your peppers at the market, look for nicely shaped peppers for stuffing. Wash and carefully cut out top and stem, save for later. Clean out the seeds and veins from inside the pepper, discard then rinse the peppers. Turn pepper upside down on top of paper towels to dry. On chopping board slice peppers thinly, now in a skillet saute onion in olive oil until soft and caramelized. Add sliced peppers, and mushrooms if desired, put a lid on your pan as they cook down until soft. Add oil if needed or 1/2 cup chicken broth. In a separate skillet brown your sausage meat (optional) and lean ground until cooked. In the meantime have the boiled rice of your choice ready, add rice to sauté peppers, fold with meat mixture. Add a ladle or more of the marinara sauce (hopefully you have some saved for Sunday's dinner) to the mixture. Add the grated cheese, fresh basil, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Serve with extra marinara sauce, additional fresh herbs and crispy bread. A glass of wine and you'll feel fine. Weather permitting… you may eat inside or out! Do enjoy! xo Dishin' with Denise

8 peppers
11/2 pounds ground beef
2-3 sweet sausage links (remove casing)
1 diced Vidalia onion
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 lb mushrooms optional

Marinara sauce:
1 large can San Marzano whole tomatoes
1 diced onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 diced cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon red peppers
fresh ground pepper
salt
fresh chopped basil, parsley and oregano

Add olive oil to pot with onions and saute till soft. Add spices, hand squeezed tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes.

 

Goods on Gluten


Adam Morsch is a personal trainer,
certified by the International Sports
Science Association, and a Nutritional Adviser with certifications from the Shaw Academy.  He is the owner of Morsch
Fitness where he trains private clients in Huntington. He is currently fundraising for Autism Awareness by preparing to Kayak around Long Island next summer. He can be contacted at trainer@morschfitness.com 
    Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains such as wheat and its close relatives such as, rye and barley.  It is a combination of 2 different proteins:  gliadin and glutenin which acts as a binder to foods, helping it to keep its shape and texture.   
    To the 1 in 133 Americans that have Celiac Disease gluten is hazardous. Celiac Disease carries a broad spectrum of symptoms that range from skin rashes, intestinal problems and stomach issues, to neurological difficulties.  
    Gluten is also dangerous to those allergic to wheat.  The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology claim that less than 1 in 200 people suffer from an allergy to wheat, most are children and at least 2/3rds will outgrow it before they reach adolescence. 
    Supermarket aisles and health food stores are packed with gluten free products. Internet blogs and celebrities preach how gluten free is the best new thing.  People are using gluten free diets to try to fix everything from autism, ADHD to migraines and there are those who also think gluten free is the way to weight loss.  Is there any truth behind all this?  The answer is no; let me explain why. 
    If you do not have Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy, going gluten free is stopping you from eating a wide variety of foods. Many people eating gluten free have a high chance of ending up with a vitamin deficiency especially: vitamin B, iron, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. There are so many foods gluten is added to, one wouldn’t even think of: frozen vegetables, sauces, fortified foods that have vitamins added to them; the list is long.  Gluten free food often has added sugar and fat and is higher in calories than other foods. 
    So how do I answer the question to those who have changed their diet to gluten free and have seen positive results either in health or weight loss? The answer is simple: it is not because you eliminated gluten from your diet but because you changed your diet from processed high calorie foods to a healthy diet consisting of whole foods.  You added more fresh fruit, vegetables in your diet and took out cookies and snacks. If you replace white bread with quinoa or another high-fiber grain you’re going to see positive results.  Once again it’s the diet not the gluten. Nothing can replace a well-balanced diet based on whole foods, small portions surrounded by a healthy lifestyle.

 

Make Amazing & Sustainable Coffee


Bill Lauto is an Environmental Scientist and Energy Consultant who has been 
teaching how we can save our money, 
energy, environment, and health, since 1982. Mr. Lauto operates GoingTrueGreen.com and his work has been published in magazines such as: Consumer Report, Kiplinger's Financial and Business Ethics.

Would you love of cup of AMAZING coffee every morning, save a tremendous amount of MONEY and live HEALTHIER while being more SUSTAINABLE?

Let us start with your coffee maker. If you use a coffee maker, then you are using electricity. Also coffee makers are being made with cheaper plastics to have a lower price tag. That cheap plastic holding boiling hot water can leach a soupy chemical mix into your coffee. Your health will not be affected tomorrow, but over your life time, why risk those carcinogens being a contributing problem.

So let us do away with the coffee maker and immediately save at least $120.00 off your electric bill per year and remove another plastic source that can have harmful elements.

The solution for not using a coffee maker is a French Press coffee maker, which will be a major contributing factor to a better tasting coffee! French Press coffee makers come in various sizes to make just one mug or up to 8 to 10 cups of coffee. The French Press you buy must have tempered GLASS, not plastic, because only three things DO NOT put carcinogens into our food or drink and that is Glass, Wax Paper, and Porcelain.

Another ingredient to making the best coffee in the world is Hand Ground coffee beans. Again your Hand Grinder must have a tempered GLASS container and a Porcelain Stone to grind the beans. With glass and porcelain there is no retention of smell because they are easier to clean. Also when you manually grind your coffee beans you get a consistent size, cut, and texture, so all the solubles can be extracted evenly. This is a major contributing factor to taste. Electric steel-cut coffee bean grinders can add a metal like taste and they pulverize the beans. Thus the fragments and small particles causes a result where different amounts of coffee solubles are extracted.Thereby sacrificing an even creation of flavor.

Finally, have a non-plastic, non-aluminum Travel Mug. Stainless steel or better still, a porcelain or old fashion Thermos with glass inside. They keep coffee hot the longest and are readily available online.

Making coffee was always 100% manual and when electricity came along that process was no longer acceptable. However, today energy is no longer cheap and we have only one Earth. So why not consider putting real flavor back into your cup of coffee by making coffee the original way? You will be saving so much more all around.

 

New York Mets Sweep The NCLS! World Series Bound


Anthony Caraturo is an 18 year old attending his first year of college. He is a die hard Mets, Rangers and Giants fan. He also enjoys playing sports on the side with others.  He loves to watch sports with friends and family and would love to realize his dream as a sports journalist. 
    The MLB playoffs are a very exciting time of year, however to Mets fans over the past few years, it hasn’t been anything to look forward to. That has changed this year, 2015. The Mets entered the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers as the underdog and wound up winning that series in 5 games with ace Jacob deGrom outpitching probable CY Young winner Zack Greinke. 

    The Mets went into the NLCS, underdogs yet again and for many, they didn’t even have the Mets going this far. They took care of the Cubs in a four game sweep to win the National League pennant for the first time since 2000. These New York Mets are a completely different team from the last Mets team to make the postseason in 2006, nearly 10 years ago. The Mets are in great shape with their pitching. 

    It is no question that the Mets strength starts with the starting rotation. The talented rotation featured by 2014 NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, 2013 All Star Matt Harvey, stud prospect and 100 mph flamethrower in Noah Syndergaard, and left handed pitching prospect Steven Matz who finished the year 4-0 is arguably the best rotation in the playoffs. The bats for the Mets headlined by 2014 All Star Yoenis Cespedes and 7x All Star David Wright give the Mets a legitimate shot at winning the World Series. 

    What can you say about Daniel Murphy? From someone who has watched this guy since he debuted in 2008, this guy is a totally different hitter. Murphy hits the ball where it is pitched and credits hitting Coach Kevin Long for helping him tap into his power by using his legs more. Murphy hit 7 home runs from the NLDS to the NLCS, 9 games it took to hit half the home runs he hit during the regular season in 130 games during the year. The Mets closer Jeurys Familia stepped up bigtime when then closer Jenrry Mejia went down with a suspension for a banned substance. Familia appeared 76 times during the regular season and finished with 43 saves tying a franchise record, and finishing with a 1.85 earned run average. With this dominant rotation and a shutdown closer, this allows the Mets to shorten the game. Other teams find it difficult to get to the pitching because each guy possesses a fastball around 97mph and each of the four have good off speed pitches and they all command them very well. For the first time in 15 years the Mets are in the World Series. Can they capture their third title? 

 

The Paramount