Santa Claus – Divabetic

12/22/202412/22/2024

Frosty The Snow Man Charcuterie Board

I have so much fun creating holiday-themed charcuterie boards! Last year, I made a super fun Bette Midler Hocus Pocus board for Halloween and a cheerful Santa Claus board for Christmas.

This year, my brother Rich asked me to whip up a charcuterie board for his Annual Lighting of the Luminaries party at Lake Davis in Orlando, Florida. I wanted it to be both festive and fun, and I tossed around a couple of ideas: an angel or a snowman.

After checking out Rich’s collection of gorgeous platters, I decided on a large, white one that I thought would be perfect. Rich and I took a quick trip to Publix to gather supplies. I was still on the fence about which design to go for until I spotted some beautiful bags of cranberries. The bright red colors screamed “festive” to me, especially against the white platter!

With the snowman idea cemented in my mind and cranberries in my cart, I raced over to the cheese section. I grabbed some gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella, brie, and goat cheese, picking three different sizes of round cheeses to create the snowman’s body.

Next, I thought I’d need black olives for the buttons and green olives for the eyes. I also wanted a carrot for the nose, so I headed back to the produce section and picked up some peppers.

Initially, I planned to use pretzel sticks for the arms, but they were out of stock, so Rich suggested breadsticks instead—great idea!

Once we got back to his place, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work in Rich’s kitchen. I didn’t second-guess myself, knowing time was short. I dove right into assembling the board, pushing any doubts aside.

I assembled a second charcuterie board with an array of delicious cured meats. I made my salami and pepperoni roses using a shot glass. YouTube offers several tutorial videos . They’re so easy to make and everyone adores them.

When the guests arrived, they absolutely loved the finished boards! It was such a hit and so rewarding to see everyone enjoy it!

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. Tune in to Divabtic’s Christmas Peril podcast.

12/10/202412/10/2024

My Visit To Santaland in Herald Square

Yesterday, I had the absolute joy of visiting Santaland at Macy’s, and let me tell you, it was nothing short of magical!

This enchanting wonderland is a delight for kids and adults alike, bringing holiday cheer to everyone.

Did you know that children first met Santa at Macy’s way back in 1862?

For decades, Macy’s was known as “The Headquarters of Santa Claus” and later dubbed “The Home of Santa Claus.”

Most of us always look forward to Santa’s arrival during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade—it’s a tradition that started in 1924 and charmed its way onto our screens in 1948!

This year, my friend Nolan is lending a helping hand to Santa by keeping track of all the good boys and girls, snapping photos, and listening to their wish lists right in Santaland on the 8th Floor of Macy’s in Herald Square.

Nolan is the perfect helper, bringing his big heart and creative spirit to life, thanks to his background as a former Cruise Ship entertainer!

While we waited in line, we were completely mesmerized by the sights and sounds of Magicland.

The dancing ballerina pigs, the twinkling toy trains, the festive scenery, and the cheerful elves (not to mention Mrs. Claus) made the wait fly by in the most delightful way!

Thanks to the beloved 1947 film “Miracle on 34th Street” featuring the fabulous Natalie Wood, Macy’s is now the second most popular spot for Santa, right after the North Pole!

If you’re thinking about visiting Santaland, just a little heads up—be sure to make your reservation online in advance. You won’t want to miss this holiday adventure!

11/26/202111/26/2021

Wow, I Had Grandstand Seats to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

What a Day! I had grandstand tickets for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was spectacular!!

My day started at 4:30 AM. The line to get into the grandstands starts at 5:30 AM and closes at 7:30 AM. However, there’s no guarantee you will get in so the early you get there, the better! We didn’t want to take any chances because the weather forecast predicted a sunny, warm day. We arrived at 6:30 AM.

Our tickets for the 71st Street entrance. There’s another entrance on either 77th or 79th Street. Several people in line had the wrong tickets for our entrance and had to hustle up ten blocks to get in. No, we were not seated across from Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square on 34th Street. Grandstand seats, are about thirty blocks uptown and run from 79th Street to 65th Street on Central Park West.

You had to show identification and vaccination to get past one of two checkpoints. Once inside, you’re directed to your seats and then you have about two hours to kill before the parade starts. The people sitting around us were so friendly and nice. We started chatting about every topic from A to Z that didn’t include politics(!) and the time flew by.

There’s so much to love about what I consider to be one of the best art parades. Yes, I said ‘art parade.’ Since 1969, a talented group of makers called “The Balloonatics” has designed the floats and balloons at the Macy’s Parade Studio in New Jersey.

The first parade featured live animals and nursery rhyme-themed floats such as Little Red Riding Hood, the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, and Little Miss Muffet.

The amazing, colorful giant character balloons were introduced in 1928 to replace live zoo animals.

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company provided the balloons’ material from the 1920s through 1980. Macy’s balloons stay thanks to 12,000 cubic feet of helium afloat. Each balloon gets pumped up on the eve of the parade.

When I first moved to the city, you could walk up and touch the balloons lying in the middle of the streets the night before the parade. Back in 1995, the night before the parade felt more like a block party. Today, seeing the balloons the night before is much more organized. The Inflation Station featuring all the balloons wraps around the perimeter of the Natural History Museum, and crowds line up to see them. It’s still fun! I have visited the Inflation station many times because there’s nothing quite like seeing these colorful, gigantic characters in person. The size and scope of each one are jaw-dropping.

The balloons are typically deflated behind the Macy’s store on 7th Avenue. The process involves:

Unzipping them to let out the helium.
Lying on top of the balloon.
Rolling up the balloon to squeeze out any remaining air.

A skilled hand can deflate a balloon in 15 minutes or less.

This year’s parade featured 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 36 novelty and heritage inflatables, more than 800 clowns, ten marching bands and nine performance groups, and, of course, Santa Claus.

The new balloon giants included Ada Twist, Scientist; Grogu (so-called Baby Yoda from the “The Mandalorian”); and the Pokémon characters Pikachu and Eevee.

Our seats were so close to the giant character balloons, floats, marching bands, and performers. It took your breath away. It was incredible to see the crew of handlers and pilots work to stop the giant balloons from fishtailing into buildings and trees due to gusts of wind. We sat eye to eye with all the performers, many of them on stilts, which kept the energy up between the balloons and floats.

Unfortunately, I have always been too far back from the action to see these hardworking performers doing their best to spread holiday cheer in the past years. But every year I attend, no matter how far back in the crowd I am, I enjoy the experience! It never disappoints. Every time I see Santa Clause I become a child again!!

The Macy’s volunteers, participants, and spectators were friendly, kind, and upbeat. It’s one of those memories that make you love living in NYC.

12/05/201712/09/2017

Our Fourth Day of Blue Christmas Gift Ideas from Asha Brown

On the fourth day of Blue Christmas my true friend, Asha Brown sent to me a copy of ‘Yoga For Diabetes: How to Manage your Health with Yoga and Ayurveda by Rachel Zinman’ to keep me happy and healthy!

“This book will help ANY person living with diabetes discover healthy ways to manage the stress and anxiety that is often present when living with a demanding chronic illness,” says Asha Brown, the founder and executive director of the We Are Diabetes (WAD) organization.

Rachel Zinman, an internationally renowned yoga teacher and writer, was floored when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 42, despite her lifelong dedication to a healthy lifestyle which included a decades-long practice of yoga. In ‘Yoga for Diabetes’, Rachel shares her personal journey and her hard-won wisdom gained from her own experience of yoga and diabetes.

Studies suggest that yoga can increase insulin sensitivity as reported by Susan Weiner’s column in Endocrine Today. “The practice engages the musculoskeletal system, hugging muscles to bones, and moving isometrically improves insulin resistance, which in turn, enables those of us with either type of diabetes to take up insulin more efficiently,” states Rachel Zinman.

Rachel goes on to say, “Yoga reduces stress by reducing the cortisol levels associated with the stress from the day-to-day management of the disease. Through guided breath and movement coordination, the mind is brought to the breath and away from the need to identify with stressful thoughts about the disease.”

Read the full article on ‘Yoga Offers Benefits for People with Diabetes’ CLICK HERE

I think Asha Brown is simply, FABULOUS!!! She’s the Founder and Executive Director of the amazing We Are Diabetes (WAD) organization. WAD is primarily devoted to promoting support, education and awareness for type 1 diabetics who suffer from eating disorders. WAD is dedicated to providing guidance, hope and resources to those who may be struggling, as well as to their families and loved ones.

Asha Brown was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 5 years old. As a dancer, actress and a fitness instructor by the time she was 17, the obsession with maintaining a healthy size and weight while coping with multiple autoimmune disorders (hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as type 1 diabetes) became a full-time job. Asha’s experience with symptoms of diabulimia led her to start the We Are Diabetes organization.

Today, Asha works with families, patients, and health professionals across the USA. She uses her personal experiences with ED-DMT1 to offer hope and support to those still struggling. She also establishes relationships with eating disorder facilities and diabetes organizations across the county to help connect people to appropriate care. Asha has presented at NEDA, AADE, and JDRF, among others. She writes for numerous websites including Diabetes Health, Diabetes Daily, and Beyond Type 1. She is a member of Diabetes Advocates and BEDA.

If you or someone you know is a type 1 diabetic who is struggling with an eating disorder and are seeking support, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to WAD

For the past three years, Asha Brown has made our Diabetes Mystery podcasts truly sparkle! She’s played the organic farmer, ‘Christine’ in ‘Phantom of the Okra’, the uptight, overworked personal assistant, ’Primrose Crump’ in ‘Suspect Boulevard’ and most recently the glitzy burlesque dancer, Coco Mimosa in this year’s Diabetes Mystery: ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’. She truly brings out the best of each performance. I’m so grateful to Asha for sharing her wonderful acting talents with our listeners and helping us raise awareness for diabetes and educate people about diabetes self-care in a fun, new way.

TUNE IN: Don’t miss December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music by Elvis Presley on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 6 PM, EST. We will be discussing ways to not let diabetes make you feel ‘blue’ during the holiday season with our panel of experts. Guests include ‘Walking With Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” album courtesy of SONY Music. The album brings together Elvis Presley’s best-loved yuletide performances from “Elvis’ Christmas Album” (1957) and “Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas” (1971) re-imagined with sublime and exquisite new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Our panel of experts, Divabetic community members and past Diabetes Late Nite guests will be sharing more Blue Christmas Gift suggestions on this blog for the next twelve days to help you enjoy the festive spirit of the season without compromising your diabetes health!

Are you feeling ‘blue’ this holiday season?

You’re not alone. Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression. Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.

The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together. And effectively managing one can have a positive effect on the other.

If you think you might be depressed, seek help right away. Your doctor or diabetes educator can refer you to a mental health professional.

https://youtu.be/LWWPRGS1N60