Berry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream Frosting
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“Edamame” Guacamole with Chile Dusted Pita Chips
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Light and Fresh Potato Salad
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Italian Pesto Muffaletta
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Sunshine, Sandwiches and Snacks
Food for Picnic Perfect Fun.
Food Stylist: Aly Wagonseller
Art Director: Kristi Stephenson
Photographer: Dave Smith
Unlike many parts of the country where the ground’s still solid with frost and winter wardrobes have yet to be packed away for the season, we Las Vegans are spoiled with beautiful weather in the early months of spring. Moderate temperatures and sunny days beckon us outdoors, where fun in the sun can be had in all areas of the valley from Lake Mead to Spring Mountain Ranch, to the more desolate trails and slot canyons that dot our horizon. No matter where you choose to bask in nature’s glory, bringing along a picnic lunch can take your outing to a whole new level. Easy to prepare and tote food items are key, with an emphasis on choosing recipes that will hold up during your travels, while remaining both safe and tasty to consume.
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When considering food safety for al fresco dining, a few simple tips apply:
- Refrain from using mayonnaise based salads or spreads, choosing healthier and more spoil resistant options including olive oil, mustard, pesto and hummus or vegetable based dips instead.
- When packing your cooler, institute the 75-25 rule. Fill your ice chest with 25% ice (preferably larger chunks that can be frozen in milk carton containers and won’t melt as quickly as smaller cubes), and 75% food. Place ice on the bottom and sides of the cooler, positioning the heaviest and most perishable items on top of the ice then filling in the remaining spaces with lighter items.
- Finally, protect your cooler from impeding heat by placing it in a shady spot upon arrival. Even though it’s only spring, your ice chest can get quite hot if not protected from the sunny rays of the desert, making ice melt quicker and food warmer sooner.
We’ve got some amazing recipes for your next picnic adventure. They’re easy to prepare, travel well and are sure to satisfy a hungry crowd with discriminating taste. From tasty pressed sandwiches or berry cobbler in a jar, to an absolutely mind blowing edamame “guacamole” dip, you’re sure to make any outing picnic perfect fun!
Preventing Pet Projectiles: The Importance of Pet Restraints
By Ashlee Verba
When people think about a road trip, they typically wouldn’t dream of letting their son or daughter ride in the car without a seatbelt, right? But what about their furry family member(s)? In a recent study conducted by the American Pet Products Association, one-third of dog owners bring their pet along in the car when traveling for two or more nights. The same study revealed that nearly half (48 percent) of owners use no method to restrain their dog when traveling in the car. While this number has been steadily declining, when considering there are 83 million dogs owned in the United States, it’s safe to deduce that there are literally millions of dogs on the road that could become lethal projectiles in the event of an accident.
Accidents Do Happen
People are involved in car accidents every day. While clearly no one plans or anticipates these occurrences, at least with human passengers it’s mandated by most states that we wear a seat belt or secure our children in a car seat in an effort to proactively prevent bodily harm. Consider what your pet may experience if involved alongside other, buckled-in family members. When traveling 35 miles per hour, a 50-pound dog can be ejected from a vehicle with a lethal force of 1,500 pounds; it only takes three pounds to break a human bone. It certainly makes you think. It’s not exactly rocket speed, yet can present with lethal consequences.
Not only are the lives of our pets in danger in the event of an accident, they can also serve as powerful distractions. Distracted driving accounted for ten percent of fatal crashes and 17 percent of injury-causing accidents in 2011, according to the US Department of Transportation. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that looking away from the road for a mere two seconds can double the chances of an accident. From making the lunge towards the front seat, wanting to be in your lap, or having a random bark outburst, chances are you pet can or will divert your attention from the road.
What to Do
Since our pets are becoming more like family members, leaving them at home seems like a moot point. The trick is to find a way to travel with our pet in a safe manner. Animal car restraints are the answer.
While many types of restraints exist in the market place, finding a safe one can be a bit of a challenge. The Center for Pet Safety has recently made an attempt at establishing set guidelines for companies to meet when manufacturing these types of restraints, as currently there are none in place. Its goal is to ensure that all pet restraints keep vehicle passengers safe while maintaining the dog’s stability and restraining its movement. Additionally, a product that can help to stabilize the spine of the dog and limit rotation in the event of an accident will likely reduce the chance of injury of the dog in the case of an accident. The snag with establishing guidelines is that every dog is different – from breed sizes and ailments to how they comfortably sit in the car.
A New Breed in Buckling Up
The good news is, many pet companies have dedicated themselves to providing a variety of safety products for owners who love having their dog with them on the road. Kurgo® (www.kurgo.com) recently created the Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength 3085 Harness, the first-ever harness to be crash-tested for large dogs up to 85 pounds, making it a useful safety tool for owners of large breeds. Like the car industry, safety features have progressed over time and are always improving. Kurgo maintains that this particular harness has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as more research is made available.
Crash-tested harnesses are rare, but they aren’t the only solution to doggy distractions:
- For small dogs, the pet travel experts make sturdy, easy-to-use booster seats that attach directly onto their walking harness, giving them a view of the road while securing them in place (check local pets stores or visit www.petco.com).
- From Bergan® Pet Products (www.berganpet.com), the Pet Travel Barrier is aptly named for serving as a wall between the front and back seat, preventing Fido from making a dangerous dash to the front. This simple, non-invasive product simply hooks around the front seats and still allows pets to see the road ahead.
- The Direct to Seatbelt Tether is as easy as it gets. For use with any walking harness, the adjustable Direct to Seatbelt Tether hooks onto harnesses and clips directly into the vehicle’s seatbelt, with no risk of misuse (check local pets stores or visit www.kurgo.com).
Cat owners don’t have as many options, seeing as cats aren’t usually ones for catching the wind in their fur. However, Bergan® also makes Comfort Carriers with well-ventilated sides, washable fleece beds and a Pet Connect™ feature that allows owners access to their pet without the risk of an escape.
It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of the day and load pets into the car haphazardly, but integrating just one of these great safety products into your pet’s car ride can greatly reduce the risk of distracted driving or pets being ejected from the vehicle. Remember that saving your pet’s (and passenger’s) life is as easy as getting into the same habits you do for your family…buckle up!
Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant and Nightclub Fights Hunger with Three Square
I’m hungry. We say it in different forms all of the time, but how many of us truly know what it is to have “hunger” without the means to satisfy it? In Southern Nevada, over 340,000 people, 130,000 of which are children, have had to know what it’s like to be hungry and insecure as to if and when they will be able to eat. Three Square, along with its many partners in the community, work to provide meals to these men, women and children daily.
As a kickoff to it’s “Hakkasan Gives Back” initiative, Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant and Nightclub donated $5 to Three Square for each diner over the course of December 2013. In addition, employees individually raised contributions for the campaign resulting in a donation of more than $50,000 to the local food bank in January. “I was just talking to my 6-year old son this evening about having a snack before dinner,” said Three Square’s Chief Development Officer Matt Muldoon “and I realized how lucky he is to have that basic need, as so many others do not,” he continued. “One in six are struggling with hunger in our community. What Hakkasan has given us today will allow us to serve more than 150,000 meals to those in need. It’s a huge step towards helping us achieve our goals.” Hakkasan staff also volunteered at Three Square’s South Warehouse in mid-December, where they packaged a total of 10,000 meals to-go for the Kid’s Café©, 1,500 bags of food for “Backpacks for Kids,” and 130 Senior Share Boxes.
For more information on Hakkasan visit www.hakkasan.com/lasvegas. For more on Three Square visit www.threesquare.org.
Spread the Word Nevada and Bank of America
According to recent studies, children who are not reading proficiently by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of school before graduating. That’s a scary number, and one with profound impact on the stability of our economy and the quality of life of our children as our country moves forward. A local non-profit, Spread the Word Nevada, is doing its part to ensure low-income students in our community are not a part of that statistic. With a mission to inspire children one book at a time, the organization has donated over 2.5 million books to 343,000 children in our school district, inspiring hundreds of thousands of young people to learn, stay in school and graduate.
On February 10, 2014 at The Smith Center, Bank of America presented a check for $200,000 to Spread the Word Nevada as a recipient of its highly competitive annual Neighborhood Builder’s grant. In addition to the grant the Neighborhood Builders Program awards executive leadership training to high achieving non-profit organizations around the country that have made a significant impact addressing needs related to community development, critical needs or workforce development and education. Spread the Word Nevada says it plans to use the grant to extend its school year reading program into the summer months and expand its offerings into new schools. Currently the organization serves 29 schools in at-risk and low-income areas around the city.
For more information on book donation and volunteering for Spread the Word Nevada visit www.spreadthewordnevada.org. For more information on the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Program visit www.bankofamerica.com.
Get Outside on the West Side
We’re lucky to have an early spring in our hometown. Make sure to take advantage of it in your neighborhood with these outside events on the West side.
Golf Summerlin and Golf 101 Clinics
If you’re thinking of hitting the links this spring but feel a little rusty, the deal from Golf Summerlin is the perfect way to get back into Phil Mickelson shape (OK…maybe not really!) For only $100 total, the following weekly clinics are a hole-in-one.
Co-ed Clinics
March 4 – Intro/putting
March 11 – Chipping/Short Game
March 18 – Irons
March 25 – Woods
Women Only Clinics
March 6 – Intro/putting
March 13 – Chipping/Short Game
March 20 – Irons
March 27 – Woods
Clinics will be held at Eagle Crest Golf Course (2203 Thomas W. Ryan Blvd.) and individual clinics can be purchased for $30 per person. Visit www.golfsummerlin.com for more information.
Tour De Summerlin
If the saddle is more your style, the annual Tour de Summerlin should do the trick. Benefitting Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada (www.candlelightersnv.org) this non-competitive 40, 75 or 100-mile ride is one of the most beautiful around.
If you’re a little nervous at the thought of a 40-mile ride, joining the Riders for Candlelighters cycling team is your way to train with the experts! The training program is designed for individuals interested in completing an endurance event, no experience required. Participants commit to raising $1,000 for Candlelighters in exchange for a customized training program, which includes a training manual, bike repair, nutrition and hydration clinics, weekly team rides, a team pasta dinner and team jersey. Visit www.candlelightersnv.org for more information.
An entry fee starting at $65 for early registration includes an event commemorative shirt, aid station food and drinks and delicious post ride luncheon. Visit www.tourdesummerlin.com for more information.
Culture Clash – International Fun in Our Backyard
If you’re looking for a little diversity without the airline travel, April in Southern Nevada should be right up your alley! Festivals and parties celebrating cultures from all over the world are popping up right here at home.
April 5-6
Vegas Loves Brazil 2014
Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd.
The largest Brazilian festival in Las Vegas is coming back and this time with a two day festival at the Rio Hotel parking lot. Tickets for the event are $8 for general admission and $13 for a two-day pass. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Visit www.vegaslovesbrazil.com for more information.
April 12-13
10th Annual Las Vegas Highland Games
Floyd Lamb Park, 9200 Tule Springs Rd.
Presented by the Las Vegas Celtic Society, this Scottish-themed event includes a unique mix of the sporting, the cultural and the social such as field and track events. Tickets start at $12.50 for general admission in advance. Visit www.lasvegashighlandgames.com for more information.
April 17-20
13th Annual Pure Aloha Concerts & Festival
Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd.
Celebrate the power of the islands with this celebration of Hawaiian culture featuring a carnival with midway rides, cultural performances, specialty food and retail vendors and concerts. General admission tickets start at $8. Call 604-9438 or visit www.vizzun.com for information.
April 26
5th Annual Día del Niño
Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Celebrate childhood as they do in Mexico with this annual event offering hours of fun for children of all ages, including clowns and magicians, dancing and singing, games, traditional food and drink and much more. Call 822-7700 or visit www.springspreserve.org for information.
