So Long, Irene

After talking with my sister, who lived through Hurricane Katrina in 2005- thinking of all of those impacted 6 years ago today- I didn't mess around about hurricane prep. She was very calm, patient, and clear about how I needed to prepare well- not to freak me out, but to say this COULD be bad. And if bad was the name of the game, then I was going to beat Irene!

(N.B. Irene did little to no destruction to little ol' Brighton, MA- but prayers for those who were very much impacted!)

Hurricane Kit 101:

• Have cash on hand ($100-$150 recommended....banks could shut down)
• Fill up that tank of gas (even if you aren't driving, use the power to charge your cell phone!)
• Buy water (don't go crazy- 1 case per person is fine)
• Flashlights & batteries
• Non-perishable food/snacks (think protein to fill you up, don't just get carbs)
• Have a First Aid kit handy
• Bring valuable documents in a waterproof folder w/ you

Needless to say, much of this probably was common sense, but since it's STILL hurricane season, I'll keep this list handy in case Tropical Storm Jose blows up to something noteworthy!

Right on Point

Thanks to my good friend, S- I came across a spectacular find today at Williams-Sonoma: free knife sharpening! Evidently, once a month, a rep from Wusthof (fantastic knives, people- definitely one of the best things I ever bought myself) comes to WS and offers free knife sharpening for a couple hours. I know it sounds like such simple pleasure, but let me assure you, we picked up some great tips while waiting for the very kind rep to sharpen away!

Here she is doing her magic...

And she showed us the technique called the "pinch grip" to help utilize larger knives, like the chef knife shown here: It allows for the knife to remain stable while you push through the item being cut. So simple, but really brilliant.

And a few short minutes later, my knives were like new again!

Just a few key points: they have to be Wusthof knives, and there is a limit of 3 per sharpening session.

Check out your local WS to see when your sharpening workshops are available! If you live here in town, the Natick store is hosting one Friday, September 16th from 12-2pm, Saturday, October 8th from 2-4pm, and Saturday, November 19th from 11am- 1pm.

This little tidbit was just a gem of a find, thanks S!

No Tax? Yes Please!

It must be back to school time because the Tax Free Weekends are starting! When I lived in Texas, this was a huge incentive to shop, as that whopping 8.25% was a big savings! Or even now, in the great state of Louisiana where I went to college, that 9% hit hard. Clearly, those states who offer tax free weekends (hooray for Massachusetts) are helping out a bit.

Which states offer the tax free weekend, you ask? Well, allow me to share! And if you want the specifics on what items (usually under a certain dollar amount) are discounted, check out this site.

Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Missouri
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia

For those of us in MA, check out the sales on August 13th and 14th. I'll be ready to hit the outlets :) And the rest of the US really should get on the bandwagon...