A reminder to celebrate the New Year safely from Triangle Electrical Services

As we approach New Year’s Eve, friends and family will be enjoying food, music and possibly a few alcoholic beverages together. There’s even a festive cocktail in each Holiday Highlights newsletter! 

Whether you’re hosting the party, or enjoying “adult beverages” anywhere other than your home, you should have a plan in place for getting home safely. Here are a few safety tips to be sure you & everyone in your party can enjoy safely. 

  • Talk to your group ahead of time and decide who will drive home and stick to that plan. 
  • Your designated driver shouldn’t drink anything with alcohol in it. At all. Enjoy water, soda, mocktails, an energy drink, etc. Having “a couple” alcoholic beverages is not being a sober driver. 
  • Use ride share apps like Uber and Lyft to get safely to and from your event. Rides will be more expensive so drivers can earn more money, but it will always be cheaper than the alternative! 
  • If you’re hosting the party, consider the options for your guests. Do you have room at your house? Do Uber and Lyft operate near you? Are you offering enough non-alcoholic options for guests? These are all things to think about beforehand. 

The best New Year’s Eve parties are the ones where everyone stays safe. All of us at Triangle Electrical Services hope you are enjoying a safe and festive holiday season!

Holiday Highlights Recipe #4 — Brown Butter and Sage Butternut Squash Pasta

 

I often invite you to take advantage of a short cut offered to you by the grocery store and this is one that I have been preaching for years: pre-cubed butternut squash. In fact, it’s become a bit of an inside joke with my followers on Instagram. If you have ever gone toe to toe with a butternut squash then you know exactly why. They are large. They are unruly. They are stubborn and they are flat out dangerous. Peeling and cubing a butternut squash seems straight forward, but in that simple process you’re likely to lose a finger! The density of the squash and the force required to slice makes moving a knife through it choppy and inconsistent. If your knife slips, you’re risking serious injury. I have concluded that it’s not worth endangering myself when there is perfectly good, pre-cut squash on the grocery store shelves. You may pay a bit more, but when you think about the time you’ll save and the medical bills you’ll avoid, you may find that it’s worth it in the long run!

 

 

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Ali's 2021 Crush-Worthy Gift Guide, Volume 4

As the member of the WCHL staff who does the most shopping (this is a self-appointed title) I know it can be difficult to find the perfect gift. In 2021, we’re going to be sending gifts to friends and family that we might have given them in person in years past, so it’s important that our loved ones know that their gifts were picked with care. As the host of Woman Crush Wednesday, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing small business owners, crafters, and creators. That combined with my trusted “one-for-them, one-for-me” holiday shopping method hopefully means you’ll find some solid local gift options.
Who's Ali Evans?

Epilogue Books on Franklin Street

We’re at the point of the holiday season where you’ve probably given all of your planned gifts and we’ve entered what I call “I totally got you something, too!” season. We’ve all been there – getting coffee or a glass of wine with a friend and they whip out the surprise holiday gift. Well guess what friends, I’m not going to let you be the person who didn’t have a gift ready. This edition of Ali’s Crush-Worthy Gift Guide is all about gift certificates to snag for those last minute surprises.

I’ve mentioned Epilogue already in this season’s gift guide, but I’m bringing them back because a) I love this place, and b) it’s a great place to give someone a gift certificate to because they have everything. Books, Chocolate, Wine, Coffee, Churros, and more. Giving someone a gift certificate to Epilogue covers all your bases and supports local.

Click here to check it out

Market and Moss in Southern Village

I remember being told while growing up that gift cards aren’t personal enough to give as gift to someone you love. I’m assuming the person who told me that just didn’t like nice things because I think a gift card for shopping or a service is one of the most thoughtful things you can give because it shows you know them well enough to treat them to their favorite place. Drop the notion that its not “personal” enough and get your loved one a gift certificate for a facial at Rosie Glow Skin Studio. Rest, relaxation, glowing skin and an hour of not doom-scrolling twitter await.

Click here to check it out

Chapel Hill Toffee

Here’s the nice thing about keeping Chapel Hill Toffee on you this time of year – if you don’t find anyone to give it to, you get to eat it yourself. Chapel Hill Toffee is locally owned by a wonderful family and thanks to the straightforward name, gives the gift of local too. You can order however many boxes in any size you would like online (I recommend the 12 pack of the 2oz boxes for maximum gift-giving potential) or use their locater to find a store near you that sells Chapel Hill Toffee. That way you’re supporting two local businesses at once!

Click here to check it out

UNC Women’s Basketball Tickets!

I’ll admit – this is less of a “carry this gift around at all times” suggestion and more of a “someone in your life will really appreciate this gesture” suggestion. The Women’s Basketball team at UNC is currently undefeated at 11-0 and a game at Carmichael is a really fun experience for any True Blue Tar Heel. Tickets are not very expensive and would make a really thoughtful gift – you could even buy them for both of you and enjoy a game together! I would also stop by Shrunken Head Boutique on Franklin St. and pick out a Carolina t-shirt or hat to give with basketball tickets.

Click here to check it out

Holiday Cocktail Recipes from Carrie Brogren

The “Festive Fig”

Figs lend a delicious sweetness to all sorts of holiday recipes, from savory appetizers to festive desserts, and sophisticated main dishes. I took advantage of this popular, holiday fruit by adding the fruit to my cocktail recipes.

For this recipe, I made a fig infused vodka and a thyme simple syrup to create the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Fig-Infused Vodka:

  • 1 bottle of vodka
  • 6 figs
  • 1 whole vanilla bean

To infuse the vodka, wash the figs and cut them into quarters. Carefully cut a slit, lengthwise down the top of the vanilla bean. Place all ingredients into a large, glass mason jar and seal. Place the jar in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. Remove and strain into a clean jar (serve immediately or store the infused vodka in the refrigerator).

Thyme Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Add water and sugar to a small saucepan on medium heat. stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sprigs of thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool completely, and store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.

For the Cocktail

  • 2 ounces fig infused vodka
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons thyme simple syrup (adjust according to your preferred level of sweetness)
  • club soda

Add vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker, add a handful of ice, and shake. Add and handful of ice to a glass and strain cocktail into glass. Top with club soda and garnish with a sprig of thyme and/or a slice of dehydrated fig.

Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook Group engages in a Holiday Charity Collaboration each year. This year, we have partnered with Christmas House and we are raising money for Christmas House, so that they can purchase and distribute grocery gift cards to local families in need during the holiday season. Tandem restaurant of Carrboro has also partnered with this Holiday Charity Collaboration and all throughout the month of December, you can visit Tandem and purchase my “Partridge in a Pear Tree” cocktail. Tandem will donate $5 from the sale of each cocktail to our Christmas House Charity. Please visit Tandem and support this wonderful, local cause! 

 

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