Are you ready to put a bow on the holiday festivities and start the new year fresh? Every Wednesday, Kevin and Jenna talk to a local expert about the things that make our lives easier, from home improvement to DIY to parenting. This week we chat with Home Expert Susie Calabrese of @susiecal_CT and we’re diving into the first week of the new year at home and how you can wrap up the holidays and begin a great year ahead!
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How can you tell if a weight loss plan or supplement is just a big scam? Melanie McGovern from the Better Business Bureau explains how to avoid weight loss scams and protect your wallet! All the info you need in the podcast.
It’s January, which means it’s time to discuss the Prophet of Doom, Nostradamus. And this year he’s already been more accurate than usual! (:30)
Resolutions are out! But how can you keep that goal you’ve set for yourself in the New Year? Dr. Wider explains how you can manifest your goals. (3:00)
If you are using the month of January as an excuse to do this, that’s all I need to know about you! (6:57)
What’s that old technology you still use? Anna was shocked when she saw a man using something that can’t possibly still work! (10:09)
Why are people keeping their shoes outside of the home now?! Find out on the first Wellness Wednesday of the New Year! (17:23)
Do you have a challenge child? Anna’s younger daughter has always been a bit of a challenge, but things really escalated after a pillow fort incident! (21:14)
Everyone wants to lose weight in the new year, but according to Melanie McGovern from the Better Business Bureau, some of these weight-loss programs are total scams! (28:18)
Are you up to date on this week’s biggest news stories? Anna and Raven will get you caught up on what’s trending, including the class-action lawsuit aimed at Hershey’s! (32:05)
Ron and Carmen have been dating for a year and a half and even though Carmen said that she’d introduce Ron to her two children (ages six and nine) in the new year, she feels not ready. She thinks it’ll be too confusing for them and wants to wait. Ron says that he wants to start including her children into their lives more and become a family. Is Carmen being too overprotective? (35:41)
April has got a shot at $3100! All she has to do is beat Raven in pop culture trivia! (43:52)
Is healthier eating on your list of resolutions for 2024? CT Food Girly wants to help you stay on track without sacrificing the fun and convenience of dining out! Each Tuesday, Kevin and Jenna talk about all things food in Connecticut with Alex from CT Food Girly. Today she’s sharing the best local spots that offer healthy meal options, and the restaurants we should check out if we want to expand our culinary pallets this year. Check out Alex’s picks below:
Fresh Greens & Proteins, located in Hamden, offers healthy options, like make-your-own wraps, salads, bowls, and smoothies. It’s a great spot to fuel up, it’s fast, casual, and definitely a healthy alternative to the Hamden area and the surrounding towns. I ordered the Burrito Bowl, which comes with brown rice, black beans, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips, lettuce, pico de gallo, corn salsa, avocado, and chipotle mayo. I am full for hours after and it tastes so good. If you’re headed for a hike on Sleeping Giant, this is a great spot for lunch too, it’s right by Quinnipiac, so I know it’s a student favorite.
In Wallingford (and also in Middlebury), there is BMuse Cafe, which offers delicious salads, sandwiches, soups and more. They have a bunch of vegetarian and vegan friendly options as well. This is another spot where you can make-your-own, and the options are always fresh and delicious. Since I work in Wallingford, I’m here a lot and I always order the Tuscan Style Grille Chicken, which is a wrap with herb marinated chicken breast, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, baby field greens and pesto mayo. It is to die for.
Also in Wallingford is the Eatery. I was just introduced to this new spot in town and I can’t get enough. The Eatery offers classic sandwiches and signature specials, they have boxed salads and bowls too. This is a great spot if you need a quick and filling breakfast in the morning, it is served all day. I have been ordering their “BCB” sandwich, which is grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, chipotle aioli and buffalo sauce. Their fresh ciabatta is out of this world.
In New Haven, there is Claire’s Corner Copia, which has been there longer than I can remember. It is a fully vegetarian restaurant that has been serving New Haven since 1975. This is the place you go if you want organic, sustainable, vegan and gluten-free dishes. Claire’s offers a huge breakfast menu, but also has a delicious lunch menu as well. There are tasty soups, sandwiches, wraps, grinders, and fresh salads too. There is a whole mexican entree portion of the menu as well, Claire’s makes their own refried organic pinto beans, guac and salsa.
Eating More Diverse Foods:
Trying something new There is Laskara’s Restaurant in Wallingford, which is a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant. I really want to try their lamb gyro and spanakopita (span-a-ko-pit-a), which is a savory spinach pie. Theirs has dill, spinach, scallions, feta cheese and it’s wrapped in a flakey phyllo dough.
In Southington, there is a Polish restaurant, called PolishPlate, that I really need to check out. They are serving fresh pierogies, filled with potato and cheese, mushroom and sauerkraut, blueberry and strawberry. I even saw that they created a pierogi taco a couple years ago at this restaurant and it’s made up of cheese and potato perigo taco shell with sauerkraut, kielbasa, bacon, sauteed onions and green onion.
In West Hartford, there is Zaytoon’s Bistro, which is a Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant. I saw photos of their amazing spicy hummus, lamb shank, chicken kabob and more. I think this would be a great spot to try out some new flavors and try something new in 2024.
Lastly, there is Ola, which has two locations, one in Orange and one in Wallingford. They pride themselves on their delicious latin cuisine. Serving a wide range of tapas appetizers, that all look delicious on their website may I add, and bright and colorful entrees that looked packed with flavor. This would be a nice spot for a date night if you both wanted to try some smaller portions of a new cuisine in the new year.
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Forget a New Years Resolution! We are going to manifest our goals this year!
What did you do over the holiday weekend that nobody thanked you for? Catch up with the podcast, because you aren’t the only person who went above and beyond and got nothing in return. These stories might make you feel a bit better about your situation!
Are you up to date on this week’s biggest news stories? Anna and Raven will get you caught up on what’s trending, including the different varieties of “dry January”! (:00)
It’s one thing when you’re a kid, but if you’re a grown adult who can’t make it to midnight on New Years, that’s all I need to know about you! (3:36)
Did you have a dumb argument this weekend? Anna had a wild New Year and couldn’t remember if her husband fulfilled one of his key responsibilities! (6:52)
Did you do something nice for someone over the weekend, but they didn’t give you any credit? Or did someone do something nice for you, but you forgot to thank them? Anna and Raven will give you the credit due! (10:51)
What’re you manifesting in the new year? Producer Sean wants to cross off a major life milestone, but Anna’s trying to do something even more ambitious! (18:15)
What’d you do over New Years? It’s the question that everyone is gonna be asking today at work, but Anna and Raven still want to know! (26:06)
If your spouse was sick on New Years Eve, would you stay home with them or go ahead with your original plans of going out with friends? Melanie wasn’t feeling well and wanted her husband Christian to stay home with her for New Years, but he ended up going out with friends anyways. Whose side are you on? (33:18)
Ginny has got a shot at $3000! All she has to do is beat Raven in pop culture trivia! (40:08)
Anna thinks any ball pit a child steps into is the grossest thing imaginable! Definitely in her top five. What do you think are the top five grossest things though? Catch the top five in the podcast.
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Have you ever heard a spooky sound in your house? Anna and Raven are going to try and guess what it is!
Every Wednesday, Kevin and Jenna talk to a local expert about the things that make our lives easier, from home improvement to DIY to parenting. This week we chat with Home Expert Susie Calabrese of @susiecal_CT. Today we’re diving into the excitement of ringing in the New Year with style and fun from the comfort of your own home!
image credit: Getty Images