Vol. 9 Issue 11
Presented By Carly Dorendorf
TRAVEL TIME The Neon Museum Nevada
Gorgeous Gifting T
he holiday season is in full swing and with it comes gift giving and lots and lots of presents to wrap. Sound exhausting … and like a lot of waste? This is the perfect year to try some new and greener gift-wrap ideas. Your presents will look unique and chic, all while protecting the planet.
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum shows the history of Las Vegas through this “graveyard” of the city’s neon signs. Daytime tours are available, but night tours truly showcase the spectacular sight of the vividly lit, unrestored signs that are part of the main collection. You can even take a helicopter flight night tour to see the signs from an exciting perspective. For an immersive experience, check out Brilliant! – an augmented reality show using projectors and 3D-sound speakers to reanimate some of the museum’s most famous vintage signs. Source: neonmuseum.org
To get started, consider repurposing materials used for other tasks: shiny aluminum foil and bubble wrap can make for metallic gift wrap, while paper bags and newspaper can do double duty as funky wrapping paper. You can even repurpose old greeting cards (just cut off the front and write on the back) or use cardboard as gift tags. Just punch a hole and add a recycled ribbon. True DIYers also repurpose cereal boxes, plastic wrap boxes, and even toilet paper rolls as gift boxes. All you need is a little paint, paper and a glue gun, or ribbon to give these items a fresh look. Love the environmental bonus of using natural-looking and recyclable brown kraft paper but want to make your wrap more unique? Use paint and paint pens to decorate the paper with graphic designs, stencil shapes, stamps, or even your own handwriting done in big, splashy lettering. Add paper doilies, stickers and cutouts, or even jingle bells to add some holiday magic. If you have young children, have them color plain paper with holiday designs and sign their names…the perfect way to wrap grandparents’ gifts. Gift toppers will also add a bit of pop to your present. Whether it’s a pinecone or fresh sprig of evergreen from your yard, or an ornament or faux flower, adding a little something special to the top of your gift will give it a festive look. Tie a bag of candy in the middle right to the top of your gift and it will look like a bow. How’s that for a sweet finishing touch? For those who truly dread the act of gift wrapping, look around your home for scraps of pretty fabric to use as new ways to wrap up small gifts, no tape or scissors required. Or pick up some beautiful dishtowels or stylish scarves to twist and tie around your presents. This way, the recipient gets two gifts in one and you’re going green. Looking to simplify your family gift giving? Consider assigning each family member a specific color—white, black, gold, silver, and brown, for example—then wrap their gifts with this color. Or wrap the gifts in brown kraft paper, then add ribbon in that person’s hue. No need for gift tags at all! If color assigning is too tricky, simply add a photo of the person the gift is going to and voila…you can also skip the gift tag. And don’t forget the golden rule: Sometimes less really is more. One beautiful velvet or burlap bow on an unwrapped gift can make more of a statement than overdone holiday paper. So don’t be afraid to keep it simple and stylish.
LIFEWISE
Nostalgia Culture T
he familiarity of things we once knew and loved is comforting, especially as the modern world keeps changing more quickly than ever. The sentimental feeling of “remember when?” and “those were the days” are driving the push in nostalgia culture that is spanning generations. With the demand growing for what once was, the entertainment industry has responded across all platforms.
Movies & Television Top Gun: Maverick was the summer’s biggest blockbuster, grossing nearly 700-million dollars domestically. Also performing well were The Batman; Spider-Man: No Way Home; and other super-hero movies based on comic book classics. The trend can be seen throughout the last decade, with some of the highest grossing movies being remakes or re-imaginings of older franchises such as Jurassic World; Star Wars: The Force Awakens; and The Lion King (live-action version). Similarly, television and streaming services have seen continued success in older content such as Friends, and new ‘80s throwback content Stranger Things and Cobra Kai (based on The Karate Kid series). The 1990s shows Law and Order; Frasier; and Reading Rainbow are getting reboots as well.
Music Beginning in 2020, the nostalgia trend found its place in music. A Nielsen study showed that more than half of music listeners preferred older songs, with classic rock outshining the pop genre. Streaming data confirms that artists like Bob Marley, Bill Withers, and Bob Dylan are getting their catalogues of music listened to more frequently. New pop music is also finding success using a retro sound. At the 2022 Grammy Awards, throwback band Silk Sonic won four awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for their groovy single Leave the Door Open. The duo even scored an extended Las Vegas residency after the explosive success of their debut album in 2021.
Games Tabletop games have made a comeback. With people spending much more time at home over the last few years, board games became an easy option for in-home entertainment. Additionally, tabletop games offer something that is now rare: a needed break from screen fatigue. So much of daily life is tied up in digital platforms that people are craving a back-to-basics approach to relaxation, socialization, and recreation.
FLAVORFUL
Among the list of best-sellers, classics like Monopoly, Scrabble, and chess continue to rank highly. Favorites of the early 1980s and 2000s, respectively, role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons and card game Magic: The Gathering have seen a spike in popularity. The analog game market is only expected to keep growing.
Cuban Stuffing INGREDIENTS 1 tbs
vegetable oil
1 cup
NESTLÉ® CARNATION® evaporated milk
1 ½ cups
diced ham
½ cup
black beans, rinsed and drained
8 cloves
garlic, crushed
1 bag (6 oz)
seasoned stuffing mix
1 tsp
MAGGI granulated chicken flavor bouillon
1
lime, sliced into wedges (optional)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 2-quart baking dish. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ham; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes or until slightly golden. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic; cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Dissolve bouillon in evaporated milk. Add beans, stuffing mix and bouillon-milk mixture. Gently stir to moisten. Spoon into prepared baking dish; cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm with a squeeze of lime, if desired.
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