wcw NOVEMBER 2020

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dining in Creating Your Perfect Plan for the Holidays With some adjustments, of course It’s that time of year when we look forward to celebrating the holidays with family and friends. With Thanksgiving, Christmas and Channakuh coming up, we look forward to the excitement that comes with holiday parties. This year, holiday party planning looks a little different. With the pandemic in full swing, the CDC and our state government officials have given us guidelines as to how to have a safe holiday, which adds a little more stress on top of the stress that typically comes with holiday party planning. This doesn’t diminish why we celebrate the holidays. This does however, present new opportunities to form new traditions. These are my top tips to planning your perfect holiday party to help reduce your stress levels and enjoy the process. ■ TIMING IS EVERYTHING Give yourself time to plan your celebration. As you get busier, time seems to fly past you, and before you know it, you’re scrambling to create the perfect party. So start early and let your guests know early so that they can RSVP ASAP. Give yourself at least 6 to 8 weeks. The earlier you start planning the better. If you find yourself starting to plan closer to the holiday season you can still create something special. The key here is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. ■ BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND Imagine that your party is complete. How do you imagine yourself feeling after the party? What kinds of compliments are your guests expressing about your party? For example, you could feel like your party was fun, stress free and joyful. By thinking about your party with the end in mind, you are giving yourself a frame of reference to focus on. You will be focusing on the end result of your party, which will be the foundation of the experience for you and your guests. d PRO TIP: Write your intention on a piece of paper and presence yourself to that piece of paper every time you feel overwhelmed. Not only will the party be exactly what you intended, the process of creating the party will be that too. For example, if you want your party to be fun, stress-free and joyful, look at that piece of paper to remind yourself to be fun, stress-free and joyful. ■ THE INVITATION Create your invitation list at least 6-8 weeks ahead and use an online invitation app like EVITE or Punchbowl. Using an online invitation allows you to keep track of who is coming, while allowing you to send updates and messages. Some apps have features that allow guests to sign up to bring dishes or other items you may request. You also have the option to ask your guests some precautionary COVID questions such as “have you travelled outside of the state in the last month” or “have you or anyone you live with tested positive for covid.” Serves 4-6 1 ½ pound butternut squash 1 tbsp olive oil ½ cup caramelized onions ½ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp all spice 1 tsp salt and pepper F Butternut Squash Soup Butternut Squash Soup T Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the Butternut Squash in half and take out seeds. Leave the skin on. Drizzle the olive oil, salt and pepper on the meat of the squash and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes so it is cooked completely. Let the squash cool slightly and remove the skin Using a blender or Vitamix put the squash, one cup of water or veggie stock (if vegan) or chicken broth and caramelized onions and blend until smooth. Put the mixture in a pot on the stove and bring up to a simmer. Add spices. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until spices are blended. Best if cooled and let sit overnight and served the next day. F Siesta Key Rum Orange / Cranberry Sauce Siesta Key Rum Orange / Cranberry Sauce T Serves 6 1 packages fresh cranberries - preferably organic ¾ cups organic or raw granulated sugar ½ fresh whole orange - grate the rind first, then juice 2 shots Siesta Key Spiced Rum Add enough water to the orange juice to make 1½ cup of liquid. Add all of the above ingredients to a large enough sauce pan so it won’t boil over. Cook on medium heat until cranberries pop and it begins to thicken. Let cool and serve. You can adjust consistency with more water if necessary if you like a thinner sauce. Variation: Be creative. Add one teaspoon cinnamon. Finish off with spiced pecans. For a more traditional cranberry sauce: omit the rum and orange and follow same directions. ■ CHOOSE THE THEME Choosing a theme is a fun way to create a central focus around your party. This could be as simple as a particular color, a favorite holiday flower, a dessert, or a memory of years past. A great way to get some inspiration is to look through your closets to see if you have any accent pieces, decorations, or cloth that spark your vision for your party. You can also choose a music genre to set the theme of your party. Set up a playlist on Pandora or Spotify prior to the party to keep the theme for your party going. Once you choose your theme, Stick With It. The idea is to create a central focus for yourself and your guests. ■ THE VENUE To keep everyone safe, consider having your party outdoors. The CDC has shared with us that parties indoors increase the spread of COVID-19. An outdoor party will be perfect for this holiday season. Renting a pavilion at the beach or park definitely gives a Florida vibe. Plus, the air is cooler and Florida is simply more beautiful at night. If you’re not able to have your party outdoors, consider opening up your floorplan by moving furniture to a spare bedroom. This way you can encourage guests to practice social distancing at the party. ■ BE REAL WITH YOUR TASK LIST Look at your schedule, and ask yourself how much time can you really devote to planning a party? Make a list of all the tasks that need to be completed in order to make this party happen (decorations, venue, music, food, clean up, etc). The list keeps you organized and will help with stress relief. After making your list, consider, who can I hire or ask for help? Is it a family or friend? Or perhaps you want to hire a professional. ■ MENU - my favorite part If you are particular about what foods you want to serve at your party, (like I am) decide on your “must haves” and delegate the rest, this includes some or all of the cooking, serving and cleaning involved with your menu. Food is a time-consuming task, so consider hiring a caterer who can take some of that stress off your plate. You could plan for a signature dish and cocktails that match your theme, and ask others to bring their favorites too. A great caterer will be able to give you ideas to help enhance your space and keep your guests satiated throughout your event. With all of the planning, remember that the holidays are a time to reconnect with the people you care about. This holiday can be especially meaningful when you take a breath, and create a space for yourself and those around you to enjoy each other in new ways. Planning the perfect holiday doesn’t have to be stressful or costly. I hope this information will allow you to create your perfect holiday season. From my kitchen to your table, may the holiday season fill your home with joy, your table with abundance and your life with a healthy and happy New Year! — Chef Alyson Zildjian Serves 2-4 1 whole acorn squash - Cut in half and remove seeds 1 cup brown rice cooked according to directions ½ cup quinoa cooked according to directions ¼ cup golden raisins ¼ bunch chopped fresh parsley ⅓ cup cooked garbanzo beans ¼ tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt & pepper olive oil F Stuffed Acorn Squash Stuffed Acorn Squash T ½ cup caramelized onions 1 tbls agave 1 tsp granulated garlic Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the acorn squash in half and take out the seeds. Leave the skin on drizzle the 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper on the meat of the Squash and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes so it is cooked three quarters of the way. While the acorn squash is baking, add the carmelized onions to a saucepan, the brown rice and water and cook brown rice according to directions. In another pan cook your quinoa with 1 tsp of granulated garlic, salt and pepper cook according to directions Once the brown rice and quinoa is cooked - cool it down slightly and combine together with the golden raisins, fresh chopped parsley, cinnamon and agave. Taste for any additional salt and pepper needed. Take the cooked and cooled acorn squash and fill the squash with about 1 cup of the rice mixture filling it a good amount to around the rim of the squash. Put the stuffed acorn squash back in a 350 degree oven and finish baking another 15-25 minutes until the squash is completely cooked and the filling is hot. This may also be made up a day ahead and reheated before serving. Recipes and advice courtesy of Chef/Owner Alyson Zildjian of Zildjian Catering and Consulting. They’re an Award-Winning Sarasota Catering and Events Company located in Sarasota. They also have fresh food to go, chef-prepared meals and peak performing catering where they feed athletes who train and compete locally. They’re located at 6986 Beneva Road, Sarasota. Call (941) 363-1709 or visit www.zildjiancatering.com or www.peakperformancecatering.net 18 WEST COAST WOMAN NOVEMBER 2020
happenings Great American Smokeout ® is on Nov. 19 It’s an opportunity to commit to smoke-free lives: not just for a day, but year round On November 19 th of this year Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center (GSAHEC) will celebrate another Great American Smokeout ® , a national holiday hosted by the American Cancer Society that provides an opportunity for people who smoke to commit to healthy, smoke-free lives: not just for a day, but year round. The Great American Smokeout® also provides an opportunity for individuals, community groups, businesses, healthcare providers, and others to encourage people to plan to quit on the date, or plan in advance and initiate a smoking cessation plan on the day of the event. This event not only challenges people to stop smoking, but it also educates people about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay quit. 1 Despite what you may think, it is never too late to quit smoking. In fact, you can experience several benefits of quitting smoking within minutes of cessation and can enjoy the benefits of quitting for years to come. As soon as a person quits, his or her body begins to heal: 2 ■ 20 minutes after quitting: heart rate and blood pressure drop ■ 12 hours after quitting: the carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal ■ 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: blood circulation improves and lung function increases ■ 1 to 9 months after quitting: coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Structures in the lungs begin to heal and clean the lungs, reducing that person’s risk of infection. This is critical in fighting illnesses that threaten lung health, such as bronchitis and COVID. ■ 1 year after quitting: the risk of coronary heart diseases is half that of someone who smokes. Risk of heart attack decreases significantly. ■ 5 years after quitting: risk of mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder cancer is cut in half. Cervical cancer risk is now that of a nonsmoker. Risk of stroke falls to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years. ■ 10 years after quitting: risk of dying from lung cancer is half that of a smoker. ■ 15 years after quitting: risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a nonsmoker. Along with these great benefits, quitting smoking also reduces the risk of diabetes and improves the health of blood vessels, the heart and the lungs.2 If you or a loved one are looking to quit smoking (or all tobacco use), or if you want to promote The Great American Smokeout ® to your business, community groups, or patients, many free resources are available to help someone quit! GSAHEC offers free cessation classes—sponsored by the Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program—that are available to help someone quit all forms of tobacco. These virtual cessation classes provide information about the effects of tobacco use, the benefits of quitting, and will assist you with developing your own customized quit plan. Free nicotine replacement therapy in the form of patches, gum or lozenges (if medically appropriate and while supplies last) are provided with the class. Attendees will also receive a participant workbook, quit kit materials, and follow up support from a trained tobacco treatment specialist. Contact us today at 866-534-7909 or visit www.ahectobacco.com to schedule a class or learn more about the program! 1 https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-awayfrom-tobacco/great-american-smokeout/ history-of-the-great-american-smokeout.html 2 https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-awayfrom-tobacco/benefits-of-quitting-smokingover-time.html UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls: UN Women USA Virtual Walk November 25 – December 5 International Fundraiser Organized Annually by the UN Women USA Gulf Coast Chapter of Sarasota, Florida Walk with UN Women USA to raise funds and awareness about violence against women. Why do we walk? Because 35% of all women worldwide experience physical or sexual intimate partner violence during their lifetimes. We need your help to increase awareness of this issue and support UN Women programs. Where do your donations go? • $30 provides two women with post-rape medical care • $50 helps survivors of sexual violence access counseling • $100 funds a “One Stop Crisis Center” providing care to victims of violence • $150 helps survivors of sexual violence receive legal assistance What actions can you take? • Register now on Rallybound as an individual or a team. • Set a fundraising goal. • Participate from Nov. 25 - Dec. 5 in engaging and fun activities. Details soon on this page. • Walk anytime and choose your distance! A couple of miles with your dog and a friend? With family after Thanksgiving dinner? A company team walking outdoors? • Share your Rallybound link with your network. Invite them to donate to you or to register their own teams. • End your successful campaign on Saturday, December 5, by joining us on Zoom! We will learn about local efforts to combat violence, recognize all our walkers, and announce prizes for our top fundraisers! For information, visit unwomenusa.org/gcc/winter-walk or contact Debby Jennings at debbyjennings@msn.com or +1 941-744-6419 How can you help in the work toward gender equality? Get involved and support UN Women USA Gulf Coast Chapter All funds support UN Women progams that prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls PAID ADVERTORIAL NOVEMBER 2020 WEST COAST WOMAN 19
Page 1 and 2: NOVEMBER 2020 Wilmian Hernández Co
Page 3 and 4: NOVEMBER 2020 contents Editor and P
Page 5 and 6: DISCOVER As we grow, we’re excite
Page 7 and 8: out& about Sarasota Opera Sarasota
Page 9 and 10: QUIT YOUR WAY Quitting tobacco isn
Page 11 and 12: NEED A LITTLE BLACK DRESS? WE HAVE
Page 13 and 14: out and about continued pavilion, a
Page 15 and 16: focus on the arts The longest-runni
Page 17: pril 2020 seems so far away. It was
Page 21 and 22: health feature Terrence Grywinski a
Page 23 and 24: “Bars, Pubs and Nightclubs Bars,
Page 25 and 26: HONORING SARASOTA COUNTY’S Heroes
Page 27 and 28: TRY A THERAPY THAT WORKS! HotWorks.
Page 29 and 30: focus on the arts news continued bi
Page 31 and 32: Embrace the warmth of family and cr

wcw NOVEMBER 2020

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