Tech-ing It Too Far

By Brianne Harrison

Don’t get me wrong—I like technology. I appreciate all the things techy gadgets allow us to do now, like help find a missing dog quickly—but there are limits to my tech love, and in some pet-related areas, I think I’m starting to reach it.

On the good side, there’s this story of a man who used an iPhone app to find his 8-year-old lab Maise, who had escaped from the owner’s yard and disappeared, managing to rip off her collar in the process. Her owner, William Coxe, started by putting up flyers, and then a friend told him about a website called FindToto.com, which helps recover lost pets. Coxe accessed the site using an iPhone app, which, for a fee, also contacted 2,500 of his neighbors and left them a message with the dog’s description and Coxe’s contact info. The call finally reached the person who had Maise, and she was back home in under 2 hours. Now, that’s the power of technology!

But of course, as with anything, it can be taken a little too far. By fall, we should see not one but two gadgets out on the market that allow your dog to send tweets on Twitter. Yes, that’s right, soon your dog can spend its day tweeting away about all the fascinating things it’s doing, like sleeping and scratching behind its ear.

The first product due to be released is an iPhone app called Bowlingual. The app, which has already been released in Japan, claims to translate your dog’s barks using a special algorithm, essentially allowing your dog to “speak”. That translation can then be posted to Twitter so everyone knows your dog really wants its dinner. NOW.

The second product, which will be released by Mattel in the fall, is a tweeting dog collar known as Puppy Tweet. Put the collar on your dog and every time he or she moves, barks, or growls, it sends out a pre-programmed tweet (example: I bark because I miss you—there, now hurry home), allowing you to obsessively follow your dog’s every move throughout the day. Oh, and just in case we weren’t sure yet that dogs have become the new babies, the collar is available in two colors only: pink and blue.

Now, I love my dogs, but I don’t really feel the need to know what they’re doing every moment of the day. I know what they’re doing—sleeping, snoring loudly, and occasionally getting up to get some water to drink. Although at one point, for our own amusement, my fiancé and I dreamed up a rich fantasy life for our dogs that had them building a biplane while we were out of the house, I’m fairly sure that their lives are much duller than that. But hey, maybe my feelings just mean I don’t love them quite enough.

What do you think?

Spring Soup

By Brianne Harrison

The 70 degree days were glorious and made it easy to forget that we’re just barely into spring, which means the occasional shower and cooler weather. For me, there’s nothing better on a chilly, wet day than a nice hot bowl of soup. The recipe below is my take on kale and white bean soup. I ran out of kale and substituted a zucchini I found in the fridge, and tossed in some sausage I had in the freezer. The results were warming and delicious:

Spring Sausage Soup
½ lb turkey or chicken sausage, casings removed
1 zucchini, diced
Clove of garlic, minced
1 can white (navy) beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put a medium sized soup pot over medium heat and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. When heated, crumble the sausage into the pot and cook, stirring, until the sausage is browned evenly. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

2. Pour off any excess grease from the sausage and replace the pot over the heat. Add the zucchini and garlic and sauté briefly, for about 2 minutes, just until the zucchini starts to brown slightly.

3. Return the sausage to the pot and add the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the beans, and cook for about three minutes. Season to taste. Spoon into bowls and serve with crusty whole-grain bread.

Cook’s note: This is a highly adaptable recipe. You can replace the zucchini with chopped spinach or kale (just omit the sautéing step if you use these greens), or make this vegetarian by removing the sausage, adding more beans, and replacing the chicken stock with vegetable. Let your imagination run wild!

Healthy Roundup:
Turkey or chicken sausage has far fewer calories and less fat than pork sausage, but the same amount of protein. It’s now available at most grocery stores.

Beans, as most of us know, are high in protein and cholesterol-lowering fiber and low in fat. The high fiber content helps keep your blood sugar stable after the meal, so you feel fuller longer. They’re also a good source of folate, manganese, vitamin B1, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, and iron.

Zucchini is noted as an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C, and a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, fiber, potassium, folate, copper riboflavin, and phosphorus. Many of these nutrients have been shown to help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, and the magnesium can help reduce high blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Bliss-ful

By Brianne Harrison

The weather’s gotten warmer (at last!) but my skin hasn’t quite caught up yet. I’ve still got winter-dry hands and probably will at least until mid-April. Luckily, I’ve found a great remedy in Bliss’ Lemon + Sage Body Butter Lite. Unlike most of the moisturizers I’ve tried, this soaks into the skin quickly, without leaving me with greasy hands that can’t grip the knob on the bathroom door. It moisturizes beautifully, and has a nice clean, fresh scent rather than the cloying scents of so many other moisturizers on the market today. If you need some serious skin therapy, Bliss also has a Lemon + Sage Body Butter, apparently their best-selling body product for 10 years. Try it out, and you’ll see why!

Color for a Cause

By Brianne Harrison

Pancreatic cancer is a particularly dire form of the disease. Diagnosis often comes too late—in more than 80% of cases, the tumor has already spread and cannot be completely removed. A staggering 95% of those diagnosed die within five years. This is an area of medicine greatly in need of more research into treatments, but, like anything, research takes money. Quite a lot of it.

In an effort to raise those necessary funds, Entertain Me For a Cause is hosting their first annual Color for a Cause fundraising benefit on March 25 at The Manor in West Orange. The evening offers something for everyone: Swayde Boutique will host a fashion show, and there will be entertainment, dancing, raffles, a four-course gourmet dinner, and an open bar. There’ll be plenty of prizes, giveaways, and gift baskets, and all attendees will leave with a goodie bag.

Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased by contacting Robyn at RobynMP@gmail.com. Twenty percent of the ticket sales will be donated to the Pancreatic Research Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD.

Come out and help those suffering this terrible disease. Remember that each patient is someone’s child, spouse, parent, or friend, and only by joining together to help can we make this cancer a thing of the past.

Learn to Live Holistically

By Brianne Harrison

You hear a lot about holistic health and alternative health practices these days, but as with anything that starts to get very popular, there’s a lot of information out there to sort through. How do you know which treatments are best for you and your family? How do you go about choosing the right practitioner? What can be treated, and how do they do it?

The annual Mindful Living Holistic Health and Wellness Fair, which will take place March 21, aims to answer many of these questions—and any others you may have—by giving attendees the chance to meet vendors who specialize in a wide array of complementary health and wellness disciplines. Now in its third year, the Holistic Health and Wellness Fair has highlighted yoga studios, fitness instructors, massage therapists, Reiki practitioners, green architects, chiropractors, acupuncturists, wellness centers, homeopaths and naturopaths, to name just a few. This year promises even more for both adults and children. Parents can chat with practitioners and sample a wide variety of products while the younger members of the crowd are treated to a musical performance by Sister Sing Sister String and demonstrations by Wholesome Kids Cook, Jen Slaw Juggler, and Step2gether.

The event is free and open to the public, so stop by, have your questions answered, and find new ways to live a healthier life.

The 3rd Annual Mindful Living Community Holistic Health and Wellness Fair will be held March 21 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the Maplewood Woman’s Club, 60 Woodland Rd., Maplewood. For more information, visit mindfullivingnj.com.

Mussel Power

By Brianne Harrison

When I need to do a quick, lean, satisfying meal at any time of the year, I find myself grabbing a bag of mussels. Mussels are rather brilliant creatures. They’re inexpensive, cook in minutes, and practically create their own sauce. They can be eaten on their own, in a white wine sauce, or with chopped tomatoes and herbs. Like chicken, the possibilities are nearly endless, but this is my favorite preparation:

Steamed Mussels
1 lb mussels, cleaned and debearded
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
a few sprigs of thyme

Pick over the mussels and discard any that are open and don’t close when lightly tapped.

In a large pot with a lid, heat just enough olive oil to cover the bottom over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sauté for a minute, until the onion starts to take on a creamy color.

Add the mussels, white wine, and thyme. Cover the pot and let steam for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally. Check the mussels; if they’re open, they’re done.

I usually serve this over whole-wheat spaghetti, with some garlic bread to sop up the juices. If you want a slightly more robust sauce, remove the mussels from the pot after they’re done and whisk a knob of butter into the juices.

Healthy Roundup
Mussels are fairly low fat and are good sources of protein, vitamin C, Thiamin, riboflavin, folate, potassium, zinc, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium.

Garlic has been said to reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins B6 and c and a good source of selenium

2 Dogs, 2000 Miles, 1 Goal

By Brianne Harrison

Just about every animal lover has lost a pet at some point. Most of us grieve when this happens, and remember the good times as we begin to move on with our lives. But others, like Luke Robinson, decide to do more.

Robinson lost his beloved dog, Malcolm, to bone cancer in 2006. Malcolm’s death inspired Robinson to set out on an epic 2,000-mile journey on foot from Austin, TX to Boston, MA, accompanied by his two remaining dogs, Hudson and Murphy. Their goal is to raise awareness of cancer and the vital importance of further research into the disease. Researching canine cancer could help develop treatments for human cancers as well, since the malignant cells in both species are similar.

Robinson’s journey, which began in 2008, has made him a celebrity—he’s appeared on CBS, ABC, Fox, and the Today Show—and has brought plenty of attention to his cause. He’s talked to pet owners, scientists, and oncologists all over the country. He and his “boys” are now in New York, just 250 miles short of their goal, which they expect to reach in mid-June. You can follow their progress at 2dogs2000miles.org. There, you can also make donations, and those who have lost a pet to bone cancer can have their name added to the Memorial Shirt Robinson’s wearing on his walk. You can also nominate your pet for inclusion on the 2011 “Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down” calendar (submissions will be taken starting in mid-May.)

Now, as these things often do, this mammoth journey has inspired a new cause: 2 Million Dogs. The goal is to get 2 million dogs nationwide to walk 2 miles for cancer. Although the campaign is still in its infancy, anyone interested can visit 2milliondogs.org to learn more and submitting their dog(s) and themselves for the walk.

In the meantime, see what Luke’s up to, and maybe plan a trip to Boston in June—there’ll be plenty going on for animal lovers!

Health and Fitness Challenge

By Brianne Harrison

March has arrived, which means spring is right around the corner—and bathing suit season comes right after that. Time to start thinking about getting fit and finally shedding those winter hibernation pounds, but where do you start? The sheer amount of information available can be overwhelming—what’s right and what isn’t? What should you be eating? What exercises are most effective?

The answers to these and many, many other questions can be found at the 2010 Asbury Park Boardwalk Health and Fitness Challenge, a 12-week program of free introductory fitness, nutrition, and health classes. Participants can learn more about how to get healthy from local professionals, and be entered to win a slew of great prizes! This weekend, you can learn how to decipher the labels on your food and discover new exercises with kettlebells, presented by Jamie Pigman. Next weekend, discover the best ways to keep the weight off and burn some calories on a waterfront bike ride. The whole program culminates with a Boardwalk Body Fair on May 15—a day-long event that spotlights the latest and greatest health, wellness, and art for the body.

The Health and Fitness Challenge takes place every Sunday through mid-May. Nutrition classes start at 2 p.m. and fitness classes start at 3 p.m. For more information and videos of the sessions, visit facebook.com/apchallenge

A Cure for Stir Craziness

By Brianne Harrison

Going stir crazy? If you’re starting to, chances are, it’s even worse for your dog., which makes this the perfect time to consider joining the Possibility Pursuit Dog Walk this weekend.

Possibility Pursuit is an annual event hosted by Enable, which provides services, support, and living arrangements to those living with disabilities and their families throughout Central New Jersey. Last year, a group of people who rescue dogs asked if a dog walk could be included in the Possibility Pursuit. Some of the dogs that participated were themselves disabled due to injury or illness.

This year, the Dog Walk is being organized by Lynne Przychodzki, one of last year’s participants. Animal rescue groups will be in attendance, offering adoptions. Dogs who walk will be eligible for prizes for Best Trick, Best Bark, Best Outdoor Costume, Owner/Dog Look Alike, and Top Dog prize for the dog and owner who raise the highest amount of pledges. Dogs participating will receive a scarf, and owners will get t-shirts while supplies last.

Even those who don’t have pets can participate—Possibility Pursuit also includes a 5k run, which starts at 2 p.m., and an indoor fitness walk that starts at 2:05.

The Dog Walk begins at 2:30 p.m. Come out, get some exercise, and beat those winter blues!

Possibility Pursuit, Feb. 28, PEAC Health & Fitness, Ewing. For more information, e-mail event@enablenj.org or call Kirsten Yard at 609.987.5003 ex. 124.

Mistakes that Work

By Brianne Harrison

Over the years, I’ve found that mistakes can frequently lead to interesting culinary discoveries and creations, both good and bad. Luckily, this time it was a good one. The mistake was: I forgot to take the salmon out of the freezer to defrost, which meant I had to completely reassess my dinner plans. I reached into the fridge and came out with a few leaves of kale that desperately needed to be used, a cup of pre-made potato gnocchi, and a couple of strips of bacon. The resulting dish was a surprising play of textures and flavors: the smoky bacon worked nicely off the slightly bitter kale, adding a hint of sweetness to the dish, and the soft gnocchi offset the crispy bacon.


Potato Gnocchi with Kale and Crispy Bacon
1 cup potato gnocchi
A few leaves of kale, chopped (you can also substitute spinach or broccoli rabe)
3 slices of bacon, chopped
Fresh-ground pepper

Cook the gnocchi according to package directions and drain when done.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-covered plate to drain. Drain excess bacon grease from the pan, reserving about 1/2T in the pan.

Return the pan to the heat and add the kale. Saute until wilted. Add the gnocchi and toss until the gnocchi colors slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the bacon, remove from the heat, add ground black pepper to taste, and serve.

You can easily replace the gnocchi with pasta in this recipe, and you can also use pancetta if you don’t have any bacon.

How about you, readers? Do you have any kitchen mistakes that worked?

Endless Possibilities

By Brianne Harrison

One of the wonderful things about the arts is that they frequently provide a means of expression for those who struggle or are unable to express themselves in other ways. Those with severe physical disabilities may fall into this group, but a New Jersey nonprofit called A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Technologies) helps them realize their full (and impressive) creative potential by providing them with the tools and technology they need to paint, take photographs, and sculpt. A.R.T has helped many artists create beautiful works that have been shown in galleries in New Jersey and Manhattan.

From February 25-28, A.R.T. will come to the Princeton University Art Museum with a new show entitled “A New Way of Seeing.” Stop by for the opening reception, from 6-8 p.m. on February 25, or check the show out over the weekend—admission to the museum is free, and the works will astonish you.

If you’re feeling more active this weekend, you might want to take part in the Enable Possibility Pursuit on Sunday. Possibility Pursuit includes a 5K run, indoor and outdoor fitness walks, and a dog walk. The event is geared towards persons with disabilities, their families, and friends. Pledges and funds raised will go towards supporting the services Enable provides to the disabled and their families. For more information, visit enablenj.org.

Fun in the Sun

By Brianne Harrison

It’s about this time of year that our winter-weary minds start to conjure up images of warm, sandy beaches and drinks with umbrellas in them. Many of us, unable to help ourselves, head to Expedia to start researching flights south and eagerly begin planning a tropical vacation in the months to come.

New Jersey animal lovers have a unique opportunity to kill two birds with one stone—plan a fabulous Caribbean vacation while also helping animals in need, thanks to the Jersey Shore Animal Center’s annual benefit cruise.

For seven nights from November 6-13, Norwegian’s brand new ship Epic will hop from Miami to St. Marten, St. Thomas, and Nassau in the Bahamas. Passengers can relax, enjoy the good food and shipboard fun, soak up some sun, and know the whole time they’re helping to support JSAC’s homeless animals. What could be better?

Prices are $762-$1072 per person, double occupancy. Airfare and transfers in Miami are not included. A $25 deposit per person is required to reserve an inside or balcony cabin, and a $300 deposit per person is required to reserve outside cabins. Deposits are due March 15, so start making your plans! Final payments are due July 31. For more information and booking, call Barbara at 732.262.8636 or Jaime at 732.920.1600 ext. 208.

No Gloom in the Gallery

del la Serna, Open Bowl, 2009
courtesy of groundsforsculpture.org

By Brianne Harrison

There’s no denying, it’s cold outside. And not terribly colorful, unless you’re a fan of slush grey. So, why not thaw out and brighten up the weekend by ducking into an art exhibit (or two?)

Saturday and Sunday are the annual Artists’ Days at Sickles Market in Little Silver. Local artists will be on hand to show their work and give demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. And while you’re there, you can grab a few gourmet goodies to enjoy later!

Also displaying the work of New Jersey artists is the Noyes Museum of Art in Oceanville. The current exhibition features handcrafted pieces in metal, wood, textiles, ceramics, and other, more unusual materials. The show only runs through February 28, so head over soon if you want to see it!

Over at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, visitors can enjoy free admission for the rest of February. Current exhibitions include Albert Paley: Dialogue with Steel—elaborate, impressive sculptural works by a former jeweler—and Jacobo del la Serna’s Reflections on Tradition, which highlights the artist’s beautiful, delicate pottery. You can also see the unusual, whimsical hand-blown glasswork of Flo Perkins.

In New Brunswick, the Zimmerli Museum is showing an exhibition of children’s book illustrations from 1960 through today, focusing on how they highlight social themes and subjects of contemporary culture. Artists’ whose work is on display include Catherine Stock, Roger Duvoisin, and E.B. Lewis.

A Dog’s Life

By Brianne Harrison

It’s a dog’s life—or, at least, it should be, according to the author/photographer team behind Dogplay: The Canine Guide to Being Happy, a charming little gift book that urges people to approach life the way our canine companions do (example: “Explore new backyards, but know your way home.”) The platitudes, while cute, aren’t exactly groundbreaking; the photography, by Little Silver-based pet portraitist Kim Levin, is the real winner here. Levin’s black and white pics catch man’s best friend at its cutest, happiest, and sweetest. It’s impossible not to have your heart warmed at least a little by this quick read.

The book is coming out in March (but can be preordered here), and Levin will be signing copies from 1-3 p.m. at the following locations:

Barnes & Noble, Holmdel, March 6
River Road Books, Fair Haven, March 13
Barnes & Noble—Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, March 20

Meanwhile: St. Hubert’s has taken its pet adoption campaign to the streets—literally, by posting digital billboards on some of the state’s major highways, touting the benefits of pet ownership and adoption. The new billboards, which were created by Branchburg-based Mint Advertising, can be seen on Routes 80, 287, 78, 280, and the New Jersey Turnpike.

Stew for a Storm

By Brianne Harrison

This time of year, I’m a big fan of comfort foods, and there are few foods I find more comforting than stew. Which is why, this past weekend, as the first snowstorm of the week raged, I found myself gathering spices, chicken, and stock and wondering just what I should do with them. The spices and sweet potatoes in the resulting recipe add a kick and take this stew beyond the usual chicken and dumplings combo:

Spiced Chicken Stew
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1” pieces
1 rib celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled & diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cayenne
¼ tsp chili powder
3 c. chicken stock
4-5 leaves kale, chopped

1. Mix the flour and spices in a medium bowl. Toss the chicken pieces in the flour/spice mixture until evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.

2. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken in batches on all sides, and remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

3. Add more olive oil to the pot if necessary. Saute the celery, carrot, garlic, and onion until fragrant and the onion turns a creamy white color, about 3-5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot and stir to combine with the vegetables. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Uncover, add the potatoes, recover, and simmer another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the kale, recover, and cook a further 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
One of the greatest things about stews is that they tend to improve over time, making this a perfect dish to cook up over the weekend and set aside for a mid-week dinner.

Healthy Roundup:
Sweet potatoes and the spices used in this recipe are very high in antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are also high in dietary fiber and are an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals.

Kale is exceptionally high in vitamins A, C, and K and has been credited with helping to fight cancer and other diseases. Like sweet potatoes, it’s a great source of antioxidants and dietary fiber

A Healthier, Happy Valentine’s Day

By Brianne Harrison

It’s Valentine’s Day this weekend, and yes, there are lots of lovey-dovey events going on across the state. But as important as it is to show your honey you care, it’s also important to show yourself a little love every now and then. So, this weekend, why not check out one (or all!) of these events, which should get your heart pumping, bring a blush to your cheeks, and help you get a little healthier?

First up, on Saturday, is Fit for Cancer at the Hunterdon Health & Wellness Centers at Clinton and Whitehouse Station. What started as a grassroots event with a few spinners has exploded over the years, raising over $200,000 for Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center. Participants pledge to raise $250 and in return they get an intense three-hour workout. Choose from one of five programs, including Spin for Cancer—a high-energy, indoor cycling program that allows you to go on a virtual outdoor road race; a boot camp combining cardio and strength training; a biathlon swimming and running workout; a Zumba dance and fitness workout; or a senior water & walk class. For more information, visit fitforcancer.kintera.org.

If you’re looking for a workout you can do with that special someone, take a trip to Unionville Vineyards, which is hosting Taste and Tango Lessons with Cliff Marino on Sunday the 14. Marino has been teaching all styles of ballroom and Latin dance for the past 20 years, and he trained with some of the best dance coaches both here and abroad. He’ll be teaching the Argentine Tango for starters to intermediates in the vineyard’s historic cave room. Afterwards, take a tour of the winery or treat yourself to a tasting of some of Unionville’s wines—remember reds have heart-health benefits! Visit unionvillevineyards.com for more information.

Puppy Bowl VI: The Big Game With a Side of “Awwwww”

image courtesy of animal.discovery.com

By Brianne Harrison

For some people, Super Bowl Sunday is the highlight of the year. For others…not so much. Fortunately, for pet lovers who aren’t big fans of the big game, there’s an alternative with a huge Awwww factor: the Puppy Bowl.

That’s right: instead of watching 250+ pound men crashing into each other, you can watch 60 of the cutest creatures in the world (all rescue dogs, by the way) wrestle over toy footballs, with occasional cutaways to action shots from the underneath water bowl camera. There’s also a kitten halftime show. And this year, New Jerseyans can cheer on some of their own: two puppies on the team, Duncan (left) and Jake (below), were adopted from All Star Pet Rescue right here in the Garden State.

Puppy Bowl VI airs on Animal Planet from 3-5 p.m. February 7. Set your TiVo and start planning that “tail”-gate party!

Join the Cause
Most of us are looking for ways to help out after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and animal lovers have a unique opportunity to do so. A group of organizations and individuals have joined forces to raise funds for the American Rescue Dog Association, which has deployed several canine teams to aid in the recovery of victims. How can you help? If you have a Twitter account, post the message:

“We're donating to ARDA to support their work in #Haiti. Please help and RT http://bit.ly/7hgsf7 @BRACpet @NorthStarVETS @WedgewoodPetRx”.

The campaign, which started January 25, will continue through the next few weeks. You can also donate to ARDA by visiting ardainc.org.

Night of Hope

By Brianne Harrison

I’ll admit—I’m girly, and I like pretty, sparkly things. And I really like having a chance to save a bit of money on those sparkly things while also contributing to a good cause, but how often do you get the chance to do that? Well, on February 11, Yanina & Co. in Cedar Grove is giving you just that chance at its Night of Hope Event.

From 6 to 8 p.m., attendees can enjoy exclusive discounts on all Yanina & Co. jewelry, as well as delicious hors d’oeuvres by Lu Nello Restaurant and chances to win fabulous prizes, including art deco-inspired diamond earrings, Oved diamond studs, a Swiss-made Louis Erard men’s watch, and a one-year membership to the Park Avenue Club. All proceeds from the night will benefit the Valerie Fund of Saint Barnabas Hospital, which offers comprehensive health services for children with cancer and blood disorders.

Need an extra incentive? The first 25 women who walk through the door will receive a free pair of the pearl and diamond earrings pictured above, valued at $350. That’s right—free jewelry! What’s not to love?

RSVP by calling 973.857.5544.

Training People

By Brianne Harrison

For anyone who’s ever wondered what their dog is really thinking (and up to during the day when you’re not home) Training People is for you. This book is also for you if you need a really good laugh (and who doesn’t, these days?) The slim tome, written by Tess of Helena, teaches dogs how to bring out the best in their humans, and includes instructions that range from choosing a human (with the pros and cons of men vs. women vs. couples) to training your human to give you want you want (the head-tilt is frequently cited as being an excellent tool, which it is, for my dogs, at least.) Along the way, there’s plenty of advice on dealing with cats (get rid of them, whenever possible) and children (learn to love them—your humans will be thankful), getting what you want, and punishing your humans when necessary. This book is completely adorable, and I’d highly recommend it to any dog lover (or, as I said before, anyone who needs a laugh).

Find out for yourself: Enter to win one of three copies of Training Humans!

In other news, a rescue team from St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center recently set out to rescue 100 puppies and dogs from several Midwest puppy mills. The dogs will eventually be transported back to New Jersey and put up for adoption, but if you’re curious to know how they’re doing, St. Hubert’s is reporting its progress on Facebook. Good luck, team!

Better Burgers

By Brianne Harrison

I’m a big fan of fish, particularly salmon, but I inevitably buy a little too much—just a little, not enough to make another meal out of the leftovers on their own. Fortunately, salmon makes a great burger when mixed with some mashed potato. Plus, since the protein’s already cooked, these are great to make when you’re a little strapped for time.

Salmon Burgers
Makes 6 burgers

1 ½-2 cups cooked salmon, flaked, skinless, and deboned (watch out for those little pin bones!)
2 medium-sized or 1 large potato, cubed
1 T. Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)

Procedure
Put a small pot of water on to boil; boil the potatoes until they’re fork tender. Drain and mash by hand or using a ricer.

Mix the salmon and mustard into the potatoes and stir thoroughly to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you want to brighten up the flavor a bit, add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Shape the salmon mixture into 6 small cakes, about 3- 4” in diameter and ½” thick. Warm some olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the cakes until they’re browned on each side (about 2 minutes per side). Serve on their own or on whole-grain rolls.

The nice thing is, these are just as good cold as they are warm, so they’re great to take along for lunch the following day. They pair wonderfully with a salad or steamed green veg (we opted for snow peas).

Healthy Roundup: Salmon has long been touted for its health benefits. It’s high in protein, low in calories and saturated fat, and loaded with omega 3 fatty acids, which, among other things, are highly beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Nutrients in salmon have been shown to reduce the risk of unwanted inflammation and support the immune and circulatory systems. Salmon is also a good source of Niacin, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels in adults with elevated cholesterol levels, and vitamins B12 and D.

Mustard seeds are also a good source of omega 3’s, and there’s been some talk that mustard aids the digestion and speeds up the metabolism