Candy Corn Fun Facts

Candy Corn Fun Facts

Although everyone might seem pumpkin spice crazy at the moment, there is always one Halloween classic treat that will never be forgotten. And that is, candy corn. This sweet treat is a Halloween staple and often overlooked. We are going to give you some Halloween fun facts that you might not have known. And after reading our facts, let us know your favorite! And don’t forget to enjoy this classic treat on October 30th because that is National Candy Corn day!

• The original name for candy corn was “Chick Feed” and was marketed toward farmers.

• Candy corn has been around for over 130 years when George Renninger, a candy maker at the Wunderlee Candy Company, stumbled upon the perfect mixture of corn syrup, sugar and marshmallow flavoring, which invented the tri-color candy in 1880.

• Americans have debated on the style of how the kernels should be consumed. According to a survey, 46.8% of people think that the whole kernel should be eaten at once, compared to 42.7% that start at the white, narrow end. While the remaining 10.6% of people start at the wider yellow end.

• A recent CNN Facebook survey found that older people tend to like candy corn more than younger ones do. The study also found that 86% of females love candy corn compared to 14% of males.

• According to Google Insights, candy corn is the most searched for candy term in Google. Alabama has the highest about of candy corn searches out of all 50 states. The only thing sweeter than “Sweet Home Alabama” is the candy corn itself.

Written by: Sandra Costanzo

Spring Cleaning Hacks

Spring Cleaning Hacks

The spring season is finally here and for some it means warmer weather and sunnier days, but, to others it means spring cleaning!

There is a lot to talk about when it comes to clutter in our homes. Often, what seems like clutter is simple disorganization. Take a little time to put some systems into place and all of that clutter will magically disappear. Here are some quick organization hacks to help make your home orderly.

  1. Put a wine rack in your laundry room. Organize items like dusters, cleaning gloves and flashlights by installing a vertical wine rack on the wall. It will corral those items you use frequently and keep them in easy reach.
  2. Make your bed. One of the first things all new military recruits learn to do is to make their beds properly. It may sound trite but having a made bed instantly make the room look neater, and you will feel better too.
  3. Divide and conquer. Use clear plastic boxes in your drawers and on shelves to organize. For example, place shoe boxes side by side in a drawer to sort socks by color or store camisoles, wristlets or scarves.
  4. Tame your Tupperware. The plastic storage food containers we use in the kitchen gets notoriously messy. Use a clear box to store all the lids on their sides, like a file. Next, stack the containers inside one another.
  5. Get a utensil holder. Add a round ceramic pitcher near the stove to hold all the utensils you most frequently use. The rest? Put them in a drawer.
  6. Organize kitchen drawers. Add dividers or containers to keep your items from being jumbled.
  7. Tackle bathroom counter chaos. The bathroom counter is often the scene of a beauty product explosion. Curb the chaos by adding a lazy Susan in the cabinet. If all you have is space under the sink, go for a double lazy Susan. The top rail keeps small items from toppling over.
  8. Use magazine racks. Libraries and airline clubs know that keeping papers and magazines organized keeps the whole place neat. Get a standing magazine floor rack with multiple sections to put all your reading materials in one place instead of spread out on top of tables, end tables and night stands.

Will spring cleaning be at the top of your to do list this spring season?

 

Candle Safety

Candle Safety

Calling all candle lovers! The holidays have passed and most likely you’ve received an abundance of your favorite candles. Before lighting a candle, be sure to follow these 4 important safety tips:

Don’t touch your candle while hot! Never touch or move while lit; wait until the wax has hardened.

Keep an eye on your candles. Always burn candles where you can see them (no longer than 3-4 hours at a time) and never near anything that can catch fire. Candles will burn slower and more evenly when kept in draft-free areas. Extinguish the flames before you leave a room. Never extinguish the flame with water.

Keep your candles clean. Trim wicks to ¼ inch before you light them (every time).

Keep candles out of reach. If you have pets, or young children, be sure to keep your candles in an area where they cannot reach them.

Enjoy your candles safely!

 

Breaking Bad Habits in the New Year

Breaking Bad Habits in the New Year

With the New Year right around the corner, many people will be setting their New Year Resolutions. Is kicking bad habits to the curb on your list for 2017? If so, here are some helpful tips and strategies to help you stay on track of your goals.

Make the commitment – making a commitment to your goal is number one. Whether your goal is to lose weight, start eating heathy or quit smoking; make sure you are 100% committed.

Create a roadmap – create reasonable monthly goals. Not only will these goals help you stay motivated and on track, but you will feel accomplished after reaching them.

Identify your triggers – we are all humans. We all have urges and weaknesses. Be sure to identify them before the start on your goals. Avoiding temptations will help you stay on track.

Evaluate When You Fall off Track – we all make mistakes. Maybe you just had to have that double bacon cheeseburger or just one cigarette while you were out with some friends. Evaluate when you come off track and be sure to get back on track.

Use these four strategies when achieving your goals this New Year. We wish you the best of luck for a prosperous new year.

 

NYC Real Life Gingerbread Village

NYC Real Life Gingerbread Village

You might have making a gingerbread house apart of your annual holiday tradition, but have you ever wanted to stand next to a real life one?
This winter in NYC, you’ll have your chance. Starting December 6th and going all the way to December 18th, Madison Square Park in NYC will be home to a real life gingerbread village! You’ll feel like you are in a real life scene from Hansel and Gretel as you wander through this village.
These life size gingerbread houses are built with ginger “bricks”, a “frosting-covered” roof, and lots of peppermint sticks and gum drops! This village gets even better because you’ll be able to actually go inside these gingerbread houses. These houses are completely virtual and are filled with interactive elements including ways to build a marshmallow snowman and decorate a Christmas tree. And rumor has it, there will be plenty of treats from this year’s sponsors, which is Folgers.
This is one sweet spot that you don’t want to miss out on.
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Hairspray LIVE!

Hairspray LIVE!

The beloved musical Hairspray is coming to a television near you! That’s right, NBC is assembling an all-star team of Broadway’s finest and most talented creatives for its upcoming production of “Hairspray Live!”. This telecast will air Wednesday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m. The cast has been announced and definitely won’t disappoint. The Hairspray Live cast includes Derek Hough as Corny Collins; Ariana Grande as Penny; newcomer Maddie Baillio as Tracy; Tony winner Harvey Fierstein as Edna; Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle; Martin Short as Wilbur; Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle; Dove Cameron as Amber; and Garrett Clayton as Link.
“In keeping with our desire to bring the best of Broadway to our live musicals, we’ve assembled the Broadway dream team of Tony Award winners for ‘Hairspray Live!,'” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to have director Kenny Leon, who knocked ‘The Wiz Live!’ way out of the park, and Jerry Mitchell, the original choreographer of ‘Hairspray,’ who is the director of two smash hit musicals running on Broadway right now.”
During the latest production panel, some further details were revealed. This includes that two of the original songs written for the musical movie version of Hairspray will be in the live production. It was also revealed that unlike previous NBC productions, the action will move outside of the soundstage when the scene calls for the characters to go outdoors. There are several other surprises that you will have to find out on December 7th, this is a production that you won’t want to miss.
Written by: Sandra Costanzo
Snickers Candy

Snickers Candy

Snickers are hands down one of the most popular candy in the world. This candy can bring in an annual profits grossing around $2 billion. One thing we can agree on is that Snickers are pure edible joy. Besides knowing that they are absolutely delicious, I am going to share with you 6 fun facts that you might of not known.

1. Snickers got their name from a favorite horse of the Mars family.

2. Each regular Snickers bar has around 16 peanuts in each one.

3. When Snickers was released in 1930, the cost was just 5 cents.

4. Over 15 million Snickers are manufactured every day.

5. While they’re the most popular candy in the world, Snickers are not the top selling candy in America. The number one selling candy in America is M&Ms.

6. In the U.K., the Isle of Man, and Ireland, Snickers were sold

Now you know a little bit more about this scrumptious treat! Just like the slogan goes, “You’re not you when you’re hungry”! Comment below which kind of Snickers is your favorite! Ours is the Snickers peanut butter squared!

Written by: Sandra Costanzo

Open roads and motorcycle safety is always in style!

Open roads and motorcycle safety is always in style!

 

Blue Skies and open roads are finally here. Not only does that mean it’s time to get your motorcycle back on the road, but also to make sure you are riding with safety.  “While motorcycles are cool, they just aren’t as safe as cars. To some people, that’s part of the appeal. Living life on the edge and taking risks can be part of what makes riding a motorcycle rewarding.” In this blog, you will find many safety tips to make sure you have the best experience possible.

 

  1. Wear a helmet. A helmet can help reduce or prevent concussions, skull fractures, damage to eye sockets or other facial features, and traumatic brain injuries.
  2. Take a motorcycle safety course. http://nysmsp.org/, is one of the many places to offer both basic and beyond basic motorcycle safety courses.
  3. Check your motorcycle before hitting the road. Make sure the lights, horn, blinkers, brakes, and tires are in good working order before you even turn on the engine, especially if you have not been on your bike recently.
  4. Educate your passengers. Make sure to have a spare helmet ready for anyone else who will ride with you on your motorcycle, and talk them through motorcycle safety so you can drive distraction-free.
  5. Keep your hands firmly on the handlebars. Too many drivers take one hand off the wheel, especially to fiddle with the radio or answer their phone. Distracted driving is dangerous enough when you’re surrounded by metal and airbags – when you’re operating a motorcycle, all you have between yourself and hitting the pavement is your safety gear and your awareness. Keep your hands in place, steering your bike, and look out for other drivers.
  6. Look twice at every intersection. Look left, then right, then left again before driving through an intersection. Many drivers do not look carefully for stop or yield signs. A number of drivers involved in motorcycle accidents claim that they did not even see the rider before it was too late. This simple safety precaution can help ensure that you see them and that they see you before it’s too late.
  7. Leave enough space. As a motorcyclist, you will not have the benefit of a bumper if you hit the vehicle in front of you, and you could easily fly off your bike and seriously injure yourself.

 

Along with these safety tips, you should also make sure your insurance is completely up to date. One major detour / red light on your joy ride, could be not having proper coverage, including motorcycle accessory coverage. Here at C.H. Edwards, we make getting proper coverage as easy as cruising through green lights. Give us a call for your no obligation quotation.

Selena Gomez lights up the stage at the Barclay Center.

Selena Gomez lights up the stage at the Barclay Center.

The lights dimmed and in a blink of an eye, the princess of pop had taken the stage. And yes, we are talking about Selena Gomez here. Last week, she had made a stop at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn as a part of her Revival Tour. DNCE and Bea Miller also made an appearance to kick off the start of an amazing show.

Selena performed a majority of songs from her most recent album, which is titled Revival. Some of the hits that she performed included, “Kill Em with Kindness”, “Good For You”, “Me & My Girls” and “Nobody”. She also performed some throwback tunes including, “Who Says” and “Come and Get It”.  From the glittery costumes to the dance routines, there was never a dull moment throughout the entire show.

Over the past few years, Selena has gone through many rough patches. Including her extremely public breakup and also being diagnosed with lupus. This tour meant a lot to her and her confidence had made it clear that this was in fact, her revival. “This show is so centered around me, and I mean that in a way of confidence, of strength,” Gomez says. “It has a beautiful feel to it, but it is about me, so if I wanted to come in one day and say I want to change [a song in the show] or add this, I can do that. That’s the first time I’ve ever really been able to do that in my life. And I feel, I feel great about it. It’s not me making sure I hit all the dance moves. There’s so much I want to prove to myself for this tour and it’s just based on me, it’s based on my voice, it’s based on what I say to my crowd,” she adds. “That’s all I really want.”

Selena is also taking this tour to bring awareness to lupus. She will be donating the proceeds from each ticket sold to the Alliance for Lupus Research. “Based in New York, ALR (Alliance for Lupus Research) is a national voluntary health organization whose mission is to find better treatments and ultimately prevent lupus. Gomez’s camp says ALR was selected because of its broad reach. Gomez revealed her lupus diagnosis in a 2015 Billboard cover story.” With the success of her current tour and with all of her future plans, Selena is definitely taking the world by storm.