Candy Spelling's Blog, page 3

Philanthropy for the Entire Family

I’ve been extremely fortunate in life. Throughout the years, I’ve tried to involve myself with causes that were close to my heart and share some of my good fortune. Whether it’s children, animals or even the city that gave so much to me and my family, I’ve done what I can to help others.   You can see some of my charities and involvement here.

As Thanksgiving and the holidays are approaching, it’s a good time to think about getting involved and giving back. I’m regularly asked by friends and even followers on social media, how can a family up its philanthropic game? This time of year, when family and friends gather regularly, is a great time to foster meaningful conversations about how a family can actually get involved in helping others.

Below are five ideas on how to get the whole family involved.

Name your favorite charitable organizations: Before your next get together, ask your friends and family to each think of an organization they feel is worthy of support. During the gathering, you can each speak to why that organization is close to your heart. Not only will you possibly be interested in some of the organizations, but you will learn more about your family and friends.
Ask for donations instead of gifts: At most family gatherings, guests will bring small gifts, bottles of wine, potluck items, etc. This time, ask them to please make a very small donation to a cause they are passionate about.
Clothes: An item that local shelters often need more than food, is clothes. Ask guests to each bring one gently used item that can help clothe the homeless and others in need in your city.
Start a new philanthropic tradition: Whether it is one, two or three gently used item, establish this giving process as a tradition. This is something that our family does, year after year. Your grown kids might even start doing it with their families and friends.
Make it fun: Sometimes trips to the local food bank, or asking for donations seems like a somber affair. It isn’t! Let your kids know that giving back is fun. Honor even the youngest child’s ideas. Like me, kids love animals. There are so many great animal-based organizations out there that giving a small donation should be quick and easy. Let your kids do the choosing and the giving!

And please remember, philanthropy doesn’t have to be a huge investment. Even a dollar or two can help. And more importantly, even that small amount can help establish philanthropy that is something important in your family.

Get involved!

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Pear Muffins with Fall Spice

With chillier mornings and the Thanksgiving holiday almost upon us, it’s definitely time to start cooking and baking with fall spices. Ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon evoke those fall feelings in all of us. Who doesn’t want to throw on a sweater and have some fall pear muffins with tea!

The thing that’s best about these muffins is that they are the perfect balance between sweet and cupcake sweet. The pears really temper the brown sugar, making them taste more like an indulgence than they actually are. Switching out half of the regular flour for whole wheat flour also helps with this. And finally, pears are probably something that you don’t use all that much, so they make these seem extra-special for the fall season.

Spiced Pear Muffins

Should make about 12 muffins

2 medium sized pears, unpeeled and diced small

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup  packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

And you can spice it up with all or any of the following:

1/4 cup chopped candied ginger, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, or 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Extra cinnamon and sugar, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Use a standard muffin tin with nonstick spray, muffin liners, or butter to keep muffins from sticking.

Heat your oven to 425°F.

Cream together the sugars and the softened butter until they resemble fluffy frosting. Mix in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract. I would use a standard mixer, but a hand mixer would work as well.

Now the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, spices, and salt.

Then put a third of the butter/sugar mixture into the flour mixture, along with one-third of the milk. Continue adding the the other two-thirds alternating between flour and milk. Try not to overmix. Leftover flour on the bowl is fine.

Now it’s time to add the pears. Just mix them in like you would berries into pancakes. Just folding over, but not mushing.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. The batter will fill the cups and mound slightly on top. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.

Mix in any of the optional ingredients now.

Now divide the batter into the muffin tin.

Here’s the trick. Turn the heat down before putting muffins in the oven to 400°F. These will go for about 25 minutes, depending on your oven. You’ll know when they are done because the tops will crack and the muffins will look amazing, brown and yummy.

You can use a toothpick too; just to triple check the batter doesn’t stick when removed from the middle of the muffin.

That’s it! You’ll still have to get your famous spiced-latte from that coffee shop, but these will really satisfy for breakfast or an afternoon snack!

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.

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Aaron Spelling’s Television Legacy

I was married to one of the great storytellers of all time.  My late husband, Aaron Spelling, rewrote pop culture with his shows.  The Mod Squad and Dynasty dictated fashion trends.  (Nolan Miller’s fashions from Dynasty became instantly recognizable.)  It was all about the hair in Charlie’s Angels. Fantasy Island and The Love Boat are still synonyms for vacations.  Who doesn’t know where 90210 is or who lives there?   Melrose Place started showing up on tourist maps. His movie Mr. Mom redefined spousal roles.  Everyone wanted a Starsky & Hutch car.  The “fight” between Linda Evans and Joan Collins, dragging each other around in the water, became instant camp; and we laughed when we heard stories about how fans were re-creating the scene at parties.

I want to share a few stories and anecdotes during my magical time married to Aaron:

While Aaron and I were dating, I visited the set of The Mod Squad. I had a brand-new car I could barely afford – a four-day old silver 1966 Corvette – and I couldn’t wait to drive it onto the studio lot.  I parked the car carefully and went to find Aaron.  Just as I was greeting him, I heard a crash.  Out of nowhere, a small studio crane had dropped its load and punched a hole into the fiberglass hood of my brand-new sports car!  Aaron said “Everybody, meet Candy Marer.  This is the girl I’m going to marry!”


Of all of my husband’s shows – and yes, I dutifully watched every episode of every series, often multiple times, even though I had read the scripts already – my favorite was Fantasy Island. Aaron really l liked that one too.   The title was deceiving because people expected a wish-granting scenario where their wish would be Mr. Roarke’s command.


Aaron got the most joy from casting the older stars on The Love Boat. He saw himself as a guardian of Hollywood’s legacy and tradition, and realized there were very few jobs for these stars in young, hip, happening Hollywood.  Aaron used to say, “if my legacy is that I gave some of our most cherished stars a place to work, that’s enough for me.”

Tour buses came by our house every three minutes starting in the early morning until the wee hours of the night.  One night, Aaron hopped onto a big red double-decker. He made his way down the aisle, smiling, shaking everybody’s hands and of course talking.  He told me he thanked everyone for watching his shows over the years.  The fans on that bus represented almost every one of his shows: Fantasy Island, Dynasty, Beverly Hills 90210, Starsky & Hutch, Melrose Place and many more.

Thank you to all of you who have watched Aaron’s television shows over the years.  I am so glad that he was able to bring his entertaining shows into your home for you to enjoy.

(Excerpted from “Stories from Candy-Land”)

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Exercise for an Older Generation

I love taking Madison for daily walks in the beautiful Southern California weather.  There is nothing better than getting fresh air, enjoying the sunshine and best of all, getting some exercise.  I love counting all the steps I’ve walked!

I know how important it is to move my body and I also know it is never too late to start.  And I have read studies and articles about the benefits of staying physically active and how to stave off the aging process.

According to the National Institute of Health, they recommend four types of exercise for older Americans to stay strong.   These include:

Strength exercises to build muscle and increase your metabolism.
Balance exercises to build leg muscles as this helps to prevent falls.  A recent study by the NIH cites that U.S. hospitals have 300,000 admissions for broken hips each year!
Stretching exercise to give you more freedom of movement.
And endurance exercise, which are no brainers.  Jogging, swimming, biking, raking leaves and walking your dog.  And don’t forget dancing around the house!

And I want to share some of the remarkable information available about walking.  Did you know that walking just 30 minutes a day strengthens the heart, prevents cardiovascular disease, controls high blood pressure, reduces the risk of diabetes, helps with depression and so much more?  Scientists from the University of Exeter in England did a study that shows walking reduces your craving for sweets.  And an article by the Mayo Clinic reported that along with the benefits listed above, walking can lower your chances of a heart attack.

I particularly like that exercise can help you stay independent as you get older.  If your body is in good shape, there is less chance you will need family members or caregivers to come around and help you.

Of course, getting started is always the hardest part.   What motivates me is thinking about being around to see my seven grandchildren grow up.  I hope you have something that will motivate you to get off the couch, move your body and start exercising!  Let’s do this!

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Reboot Your Routine!

My son is a life coach and he’s always sharing great advice.

Although in Los Angeles summer can linger through September because the weather stays warm, the fact that Labor Day is upon us this weekend makes us all naturally feel like the season is changing. The kids are back to school, vacations are taken, and shorter days naturally affect our thoughts, moods and actions. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that fall is a great time to reboot your mindset, your goals, and even your routine.

If you do it now, I promise you, you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to not only carry those healthy habits into 2018, but to stick to them all next year long.

Here are my top 7 steps to make it happen.

Write it Down. What were the goals that you came up a little short with this year? What can you do differently? What were realistic and what were unrealistic? Take a moment and write it all down.


Revise Your Resolutions. Now that you’ve written it down, what happened? Go back and pick one to three resolutions that you think you can actually get to.


Organize. And I don’t mean your closet. Take a moment with steps one and two and edit what you’ve written down and what resolutions you are contemplating.

Restore Your Me Time. Guess what? You’ve already started. By taking this time now to reboot, you’re already on the road to take some time for yourself. But even more so, go get a massage, see the doctor, or better yet, go to the movies and see that summer blockbuster you missed. Self-care is the key to happiness.


Exercise.  This isn’t exactly a step. But no routine can be rebooted until you double check that you have a workout routine in place. Even if it’s walking the dog, which is my favorite!


Refresh Your Thoughts! Even though I don’t exactly meditate, I definitely take a few minutes every morning to clear my head. Whatever style works for you, try and cut down on self-criticism, forgive any mistakes or missteps you’ve made and stay positive.

Ask for Help. Don’t ever hesitate to ask a family member, a friend, or even a self-help practitioner to help with all of the above. No one can go it completely alone.

I know it seems early, but this idea of getting a running start of all the challenges, hopes, dreams, and goals we throw at ourselves in January is one of my most important tips. Don’t wait until New Years. Resolve to reboot your routine now!

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Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco and Tequila

One way to get through the dog days of summer is with great summer cocktails. This year, my summer cocktail of choice is this Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco and Tequila. It’s a great twist on a typical tequila drink. And it’s ideal for summer entertaining. Somewhere between a margarita and sangria, this will wow any backyard BBQ or summer get together. And for those who want to keep cool without the alcohol, you can even turn this into a great mocktail.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 chilled seedless watermelon (15 pounds), rind discarded and watermelon cubed (20 cups)
3/4 cup tequila blanco
6 limes, thinly sliced
3 mint sprigs, plus mint leaves for garnish
Ice
1 bottle chilled Prosecco

Let’s Make The Drink!

In a saucepan, make a simple syrup with the water and sugar. Be careful to not let the mixture boil over, and make sure the sugar is dissolved completely. Let cool.

Get out the blender and let’s blend up all that great watermelon. When smooth, strain into a large serving pitcher. After that, add the simple syrup, lime slices, mint and at least a 1/2 cup water. Stir in the tequila, and add the whole bottle of Prosecco. Yum!

Feel free to adjust with a bit more lime or tequila. Be careful though, this drink can pack a punch. You can even make another pitcher with sparkling water, more lime, and just a little more sugar for a great mocktail. The watermelon is so refreshing in the summer.

There’s more great ideas like this recipe at Food & Wine.

 

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Staying Cool!

With record temperatures across the northwest, crazy humidity in Los Angeles, and my travels through Tunisia, I had to explore and get creative on ways to stay cool. Here’s a few of my favorites that I use both at home and traveling.

CHOOSE COTTON

There’s definitely a reason this is a slogan. By far this helps the most for everyday life, and throughout the hottest climates people, even men, wear robes. Check out my Instagram feed to see some of the looks I chose while traveling.

GO OLD SCHOOL — FANS

Yes, even with air conditioning, sometimes a well-placed fan can help with cross ventilation. I like them best at night when I don’t leave the air conditioner on all night long. As long as it’s not unbearable, I like to wake up to a more natural environment in my bedroom

COOL OFF

This one is obvious too, but for some reason people still don’t do it enough. Take a cold shower! It’s so simple and it’s not only good for your skin, it’s an amazing way to be completely refreshed and to get going. And then, here’s two specifics I learned from my summer adventures in Tunisia.

DRINK TEA

They all drink hot tea in the hottest weather. Like cotton clothing, this is very specific to some desert cultures, which makes Tunisia perfect tea drinking country. Drinking hot drinks in warm weather goes back hundreds of years. That’s also why it’s tied to so many ceremonies in warmer cultures too. How does it work? By drinking hot tea, you raise your body temperature. This increases the amount you sweat, which ultimately cools you down.

BUCKWHEAT PILLOW

This one I had never heard of until traveling this year. But it’s quite common to use them to get through the intensely hot Tunisian nights. A pillow filled with buckwheat doesn’t absorb heat the way down, cotton, or other synthetic materials do. It actually draws heat away from you. It is so cool, literally and figuratively!

I hope you enjoyed my favorite tips on staying cool.  Here’s even more ideas from The Greatist.

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The Dog Days of Summer?

Have you ever wondered where that expression came from? And no, this isn’t a post about Madison, although I will do that soon. As the weather’s really been heating up, I happened to have heard that expression two times in the last few days.

Didn’t you just picture it is just so hot that dogs are not very active? Can you believe that it has nothing to do with dogs!

I couldn’t. At least not real dogs!

Apparently, the star Sirius is known as the “dog star,” and as far back as the Egyptians they’ve associated the appearance of that star and its constellation with incredibly hot weather. Of course, this is different depending on where you live, but for ancient Egyptians the constellations became visible in their sky around July 3rd and stopped being visible in August.

In Greek and Roman times, the dates shifted a little later, but for whatever reason, it pretty much just means August to me. Doesn’t it to you? It’s always felt like a late summer phrase. I find it so fascinating when words and phrases take on a life of their own.

Nowadays we all just google everything. But this phrase, and the fact that it’s the first week of August, what I traditionally think of as the start of the dog days of summer, I just had to post about it.

Have a great rest of your summer! It goes so fast.

Here’s a couple links from National Geographic and Weather.com in case you want to read more!

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Let’s take the kids to the amusement park!

Having grown up in Los Angeles, I was very fortunate to have places like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm right in my backyard. The most fun for me was experiencing these places through the very young eyes of Tori and Randy. Their wonder and excitement at visiting these places are memories I’ll cherish forever. With this in mind, I also know that it can be challenging for the parents to enjoy amusement parks.  The crowds, the kids, the waiting, can all make experiencing this wonderful adventure in your child’s life harder. Here are some quick tips that eased some of the stress for me and added to our family’s enjoyment.

Put the kids first! I know this seems obvious, but trust me, your brother or spouse might want to hit that roller-coaster first and foremost. Since so much of my fun came from sharing Tori and Randy’s wonder, you need to consider the age and wants of the kids first. The big rides will still be there for you to enjoy together when they’re older.


Bring supplies. I can’t emphasize this one enough. I know that a nice tote or backpack can get heavy fast, but if you happen to have a toddler, strollers can be a convenient way of carrying things. There are obvious items like diapers, water, food and snacks if you don’t want to buy everything.   But be sure to bring extra clothes. Yes, clothes. Even if your kids are too young to go on a water ride like Splash Mountain, they’re going to spill fruit juice, ice cream or whatever they can get their little hands on and you’ll probably need a clean shirt or change of clothes.

Take a break. Amusement parks are big places. And with little feet and big crowds, they’re even bigger. Be sure to take a break every couple of hours.   Grab a seat, people watch, or even browse shops and shows. I promise that relaxing for 20 minutes in-between all that kid-frenzied excitement will allow you a moment of Zen and will make you feel better at the end of the day.


Don’t worry about doing it all. Much like taking a break, you can’t see everything. We all feel the pressure of having gone to the effort, travel, and expense to corral the family to go to a great amusement park, but running around for six to eight hours can get tiring! You can come back another time. It’s always better to leave wanting more. Plus, if you’re traveling from a long distance, take two days in the park. You’ll feel practically leisurely if doing two days instead of one.

I hope you find these tips helpful.  We used them years ago with Tori and Randy, and as you can see by the pictures, we had wonderful times and have many fond memories.  Be sure to have lots of family fun this summer, without any stress. I like to say it’s vacation fun time!

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Ginger Salmon with Grilled Corn and Watercress Salad

I’m always looking for quick and healthy dinner ideas during the summer. Here’s a great recipe from Food & Wine that really utilizes a premade ingredient, pickled ginger, in a way that saves so much time and adds so much flavor. I really love the use of the skewer too. It makes presentation really lovely.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

5 small ears of corn, shucked

Four 6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets

20 small slices of pickled ginger (about 1 ounce)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 bunch of watercress, thick stems discarded (about 8 ounces)

 

 

Preheat the oven to 375. Arrange the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface. Using the tip of the knife only, make five 1/2-inch-deep slits crosswise in each fillet. Stuff 1 slice of ginger into each slit, then thread each fillet lengthwise with a short skewer.

Grill the corn over high heat, turning, until nicely charred all over, about 5 minutes. After it’s cool, use a serrated knife to cut the kernels from the cobs.

In a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and add the fillets to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until the skin is lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the salmon for about 6 minutes, until the skin is very crisp and the fish is just cooked through.

In a small saucepan, boil 1/2 cup of the balsamic vinegar until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Let the reduction cool, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil.

For the sauce, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with mustard and honey. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of oil into the dressing. Add the grilled corn kernels and watercress to the bowl and toss to coat.

Transfer the salad to plates and top with the skewered salmon. Drizzle the fish and salad with the balsamic vinegar reduction and serve right away.

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