Summer Fun List

With the weather being SO nice out, it is almost an involuntary reaction to want to take on the world and do all the activities that the world has to offer during the summer. To help quench this thirst for adventure, we have compiled a list of things to do and places to visit this summer.

1. Nomads Outdoor Adventure South Windsor, CT

Nomadsoffers its clients a trill filled adventure through a variety of tight rope obstacle courses that include zip-lining and A LOT of balance.

2. Six Flags New England Agawam, MA

If you live in New England, chances are you know why this theme park is on our list. Don't

leave Six Flags without eating your fried dough or funnel cakes!

3. Connecticut Waterfalls

Did you know that there are GORGEOUS waterfalls all over Connecticut. Check out the ConnecticutWaterfalls website and take your pick.

4. Kayaking and Paddle Boarding Manhattan, NY

If you love the water and want to cool down while getting your adrenaline fix, the Manhattan Kayak Company is the place to go!

If you have any other ideas, feel free to share below!

Bring Fun to the Office

In today's world, work has gotten the reputation of being all work and no play. The reality is that employees work better if they are happy. What better way to have happy employees than to make work fun? Here are a few tips that can help.

1. Have pot luck Friday By doing this, not only is everyone looking forward to the delicious food, but everyone gets to bond a little bit more. This leads to communication across departments.
2. Change the Scenery Although work maybe crazy busy, try having a meeting outside or even take a walk with your work mates. The fresh air and sunny sky will definitely have you feeling amazing.
3. Involve everyone It is proven that employees work better if they feel that their work is important. On that note, include everyone in any projects you have going on.
4. Give Back Together Volunteering your time along with your employees can not only help the community and organization you are help, but it can also create unity within you employees.

If you have any other ideas to make the work place fun, make sure to leave them in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned!

The Mummers Parade!

Every single year, on January 1^st, what is believed to be the oldest folk festival takes place. The Mummers Parade takes place in Philadelphia, PA along 2^nd Street and Broad Street and has become the most anticipated parade throughout the year. What most people don’t know is that the Mummers Parade is actually a competition that traces back to the Mid-17^th Century. Local clubs, or New Year’s Associations, compete in one of four categories; comics, fancies, string bands, and fancy brigades. These clubs prepare their costumes and moveable sceneries for months, hoping to be the best and the winner in their category. They usually prepare in club houses that are located along 2^nd street.

There are a great deal of different clubs that partake in the Mummers Parade, among them being the Goodtimers, Golden Sunrise, The Ferko String Band, and the Satin Slipper. Here are a few Pictures to give you an idea of the AMAZING art the clubs bring to life every year. 

Presenting the COMICS

Next up, THE FANCIES!

Can we forget the STRING BANDS? Absolutely NOT!

And last, but definitely not least, The FANCY BRIGADES

Are they not absolutely amazing? I feel sorry for the judges that have to pick a winner. Check out last year's parade here! Don’t forget, this parade happens every year, so don’t feel too bad if you missed it. If you can’t wait another year, check out the Mummers Museum; it is dedicated to capturing the spirit of the celebration so you can get a feel for what the actual parade is like. 

New Year's Fun

Can you believe it? Yesterday was Christmas and here we are, 5 days away from the New Year. On Christmas, we usually get together with friends and family, eat delicious food and exchange gifts. But for the New Year’s celebration, there is so much you can do! So here is a list of some pretty cool things to do to await the New Year.

1.       London. I know it’s a stretch, but it just so happens than London is BIG on celebrating the New Year. They have fireworks, cruises, and even party clubs designed to celebrate the New Year. To see what other amazing things you can do in London, click here.

2.       Spend it with your family. I know, you were with your family for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, but they are FAMILY.  There is nothing more special than awaiting the New Year with the people that love you so much.

3.       Go out with friends. Although spending time with your family is important, sometimes it is okay to go out and have fun. So go ahead, call up your best friends, get all dressed up and go have fun! Remember your friends also love you.

4.       Host a party. If you can’t decide whether you want to wait for the New Year with family or friends, host a party and invite everyone! You do not need to cook, simply buy a few snacks and drinks and have a good time!

So there you have it! A few things you can do to make sure you enjoy your New Years. Comment, subscribe, and stay tuned for our next blog.

Happy Hot Fudge Sundae Day

 

Happy Hot Fudge Sundae Day Everyone! In order to celebrate, we thought it would be nice to give you all a recipe to make a hot fudge sundae, FROM SCRATCH!

First, start with making the ice cream.

For this you will need:

·         ¾ cup sugar

·         2 tablespoons cornstarch

·         1/8 teaspoon salt

·         2 cups milk

·         1 cup heavy whipping cream

·         1 egg yolk

·         1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

To prepare:

1.     Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

2.     Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla bean paste. Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3.     Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.

4.     Pour mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Next, we need to make the hot fudge.

Begin by gathering:

·         ½ cup milk

·         1 cup sugar

·         5 tablespoons melted butter

·         3 tablespoons unsweetened chocolate cocoa powder

·         Dash of salt

·         1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare by:

1.       Combine milk, sugar, butter, cocoa, and salt in heavy sauce pan, stir over medium heat to begin the hot fudge sauce.

2.       Continue stirring the hot fudge sauce over medium heat, bringing to a boil. As the chocolate cooks you will notice the fudge changing from a speckled coloring to a more even colored fudge.

3.       Continue to stir the hot fudge sauce over heat, until chocolate reaches soft ball stage. To test for soft ball stage, take a glass of room temperature water, and add one drop of the fudge to the water. If the fudge somewhat holds its form as it slide to the bottom of the glass, it is soft ball. If it dissolves immediately, it is not done. If it immediately forms into a hard ball as it moves through the water, it is overcooked.

4.       Remove hot fudge sauce from heat.

5.       Stir vanilla into the hot fudge sauce.

6.        Allow hot fudge sauce to cool before spooning warm hot fudge over ice cream.

The last step is to get about 4 – 6 waffle bowls, scoop 3 scoops of ice cream in to the bowl, drizzle hot fudge over the ice cream, top it off with whipped cream, nuts and a cheery, and then deliver it to us before it melts. J

 

The History of the Portable Toilet

When attending an event where portable toilets are lined up and ready to serve their purpose, one does not think of how they came to be. Who would sit and ponder as to how they evolved? No one. 

So I figured I’d give you all a crash course on, wait for it, the “History of Portable Toilets.” 

Did you hear the trumpets? Good. 

Portable toilets are first seen 3500 years ago in Ancient Egypt. Imagine a stool with a hole in the middle and on the receiving end, a clay pot. 

Next we have, the Middle Ages. They were a bit classier than the Egyptians with a chamber pot, or portable toilet, which contained a small round vessel made out of metal and sometimes, if a family of money, even glass. Where’d the contents go? Out the window along with the baby. 

During World War I, U.S. infantrymen would use toilets with “T. Crapper” printed on them. The plumber and company that manufactured those toilets was Thomas Crapper. Lucky name, right? This is where we, the Americans, gave birth to the idea of a toilet. 

Thomas Crapper

The last stop on our journey through history is in Long Beach, California. Here, shipbuilders created a wooden cabana with a drainable waste bin. This cabana was placed close to a job site so workers wouldn’t have to wander far from their job. 

Today, we see the shiny plastic portable toilets and do not realize how good we have it. So, the next time you use one, think of having to use one in Ancient Egypt, and I promise, you will enjoy the experience a lot more. 

Thank You for Your Great Service!

We are sending a little "shout out" to drivers that we feel have done an exceptional job lately.  Two of our drivers did such a great job, that the customer called in and told us all about it.

So we just want to say thank you to David and Tico for doing such a great job.  As our way of saying thanks, we treated each of them to lunch at Wendy's.  

If you notice one of our drivers doing doing a great job, be sure to tell us about it.  Email us at sales@aroyalflush.com!

Yeah, It's Finally May!

I don't know about all of you, but there were some weeks when I thought this winter would never end. It seemed like all the cold, gray days just ran together and I would never see the sun again.  Add in a new baby and I was exhausted, cold and praying for Spring to come.

Now that the warm weather is finally here, I can't wait for the weekend to come.  I want to get outside, go for a run or take the baby for a walk.  I am thrilled to pack the winter coat away and not even look at it until at least this December!

What about all of you?  What is your favorite part of Springtime?  What have you been looking forward to all Winter?

No matter what your favorite part is, it is fantastic to be warm again!  Don't you agree?  With all this nice weather on the horizon, what are your plans for the weekend?

Today in History

In 1903, the first teddy bear went on sale in Brooklyn, NY.

National Hot Toddy Day

Day is National Hot Toddy day.  Which is perfect, since it is so cold outside.

After a long work week, treat yourself tonight.  Here is a simple recipe:

• 1 oz (2 tbsp) bourbon
• 1 tbsp mild honey
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 boiling-hot water

Put the bourbon, honey and lemon juice in a 6oz mug.  Top off with hot water and stir until honey is dissolved.

Enjoy!

National Strawberry Cream Pie Day

I know you were all looking for SOMETHING to celebrate today (besides the fact that it is Friday!)

So get ready to skip lunch, because today is all about dessert!  It is National Strawberry Cream Pie Day and to help you celebrate, I have some recipes for you to try:

Southern Living’s Strawberry Cream Pie

Paula Deen’s Strawberry and Cream Pie

And last, but not least, Strawberries and Cream Pie Popsicles.  I am dying to try these!

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

World’s Oldest…

Meet 90-year-old Dr. William Bell, who holds the world record in pole vault for his age group. The father of former Olympic silver medalist Earl Bell still trains three times a week at his son's training facility in northeast Arkansas.

Pretty impressive Dr. Bell!

It’s Almost Over

Today is the last day of National Hot Dog month.  I know what you are thinking, “How did I miss this?”

From their website, “July is National Hot Dog Month, and according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans will be consuming the infamous little red tubes of "meat" in record numbers this summer.

The Council estimates that over seven billion hot dogs will be eaten by Americans between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During the July 4th weekend alone (the biggest hot-dog holiday of the year), 155 million will be downed.

Every year, Americans eat an average of 60 hot dogs each. They are clearly one of the country's most loved, but most misunderstood, comfort foods. “

Fun fact, the term "hot dog" is credited to sports cartoonist Tad Dorgan. At a 1901 baseball game at the Polo Grounds in New York, vendors began selling hot dachsund sausages in rolls.  From the press box, Dorgan could hear the vendors yelling, "Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!" He sketched a cartoon depicting the scene but wasn't sure how to spell "dachshund" so he called them simply, "hot dogs." And the rest is history.

Will you be celebrating today?

Today is National Scrabble Day!

From the ‘Broncs’ to ‘Coney,’ New York as a Scrabble Board

By DAVID BUKSZPAN

In the battle of the boroughs, it’s Queens, 15; Manhattan, 14; and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island with 0; at least when it comes to Scrabble.

Today is National Scrabble Day, celebrated annually on the birthday of Alfred Mosher Butts, the out-of-work architect who created the game in the 1930s in his Jackson Heights home. A missing sign commemorating the achievement was recently restored at the corner of 81st Street and 35th Avenue.

But New York’s ties to Scrabble run deeper than that. Scrabble’s big break came when Macy’s started carrying it; no less a personage than the Queen Mum came to New York to purchase a set at Saks in 1939; and it was in the chess clubs of the West Village of the 1950s that the finer points of its rules became established and the level of play started to really explode. (Think of it as the time when players went from spelling CAT to KHAT.)

What many don’t realize is that the city around them — even the street or neighborhood they may be crossing — is rife with playable Scrabble words. The Scrabble lexicon does not include proper nouns, but words thought of primarily as proper nouns, like Peter, are often playable because they are also common nouns or verbs, like peter (to slowly diminish).

So “queens” is playable. So is Manhattan (the cocktail). The words Brooklyn, Bronx and Staten are all illegal, but broncs (broncos) works.

Players down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass will be pleased to know that “dumbo” (a fool) is playable. And Mermaid Avenue residents can take pride that “coney” is another word for rabbit. Then there’s “sheepshead” (the fish). Playable streets in Brooklyn include Smith and Avenue S (think about it).

Sports fans can’t play Knicks, but “knickerbockers” works. Yankees is a no-no, but “yanquis” (Americans) works. They might also qualify as “nonmetropolitans.” Gotham is out, but “batman” (a servant or orderly) is all right.

Other New York places and things that are (or are nearly) playable include Mott Haven, Port Morris, Hunts Point and Great Jones. Upper West Siders can find themselves in “vrouws,” Upper East Siders in “sues.” Residents of NoHo can find themselves in “nohow,” SoHoites in “gasohol.”

Also approved: el, spaldeen, pedicab, bodega, schlep, tchotchke.

Then there are the people: spike and lee are fine Scrabble words. Also alec (a herring) bald win. Not eli, but manning; not bloomberg, but mike; not jay-z, but jay and zee, and shawn (a tense of show) and carter.

The list could go on forever, and with your help, it might. What are some more New York-related Scrabble words?

A New Way to Play with Legos?

I don’t think this was a kit you could buy at Target.  What do you think?

A Good Laugh

I love this cartoon!  It is so true too. 

We don’t have any time to enjoy a holiday any longer.  Before you know it you are being told to prepare for the next one.  The day before Halloween, my local drugstore was filled with Christmas decorations.  All those decorations in the store means no discounted candy on November 1st.  And that is what is really important!

So in this spirit, I hope you take the time and enjoy Thanksgiving this whole week.  You can start worrying about Christmas on Friday!

Today in History

Today, in 1963, the first push button telephone was put into service by Bell System.

“Though push-button touch-tone phones made their debut to the general public in 1963, the older rotary dial telephone still was common for many years. In the 1970s, the majority of phone users still had rotary phones.

Adoption of the push-button phone was steady, but it took a long time for them to appear in some areas. At first it was primarily businesses that adopted push-button phones. By 1979, the touch-tone phone was gaining popularity, but it wasn't until the 1980s that the majority of customers owned push-button telephones in their homes; by the 1990s, it was the overwhelming majority.”

Can you imagine what life would be like if we still only had push button phones?  I definitely wouldn’t be able to answer calls while doing laundry in the basement!

Odd Facts

On October 12th, back in 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed the executive mansion the White House.

Do you have any fun facts to share with us?

From the Chicago Bears Training Camp

This was posted on the Chicago Tribune Blog.  He doesn’t even look like he fits inside!

Where Can I Get These??

I found this picture on Flickr and I think these are amazing!!!  Anyone know where we can get something like this done?