Everyone and I mean everyone, needs a V-Day do-over this year after what we’ve all been through, so Fogo de Chão, the new Brazilian Steak house in White Plains, is helping spice up your love life with a great excuse to get out of the house and celebrate Brazilian Valentine’s Day on June 1st. This day is officially referred to as ‘Dia dos Namorados’ in Brazil.
Who needs to wait until next February to celebrate with your special someone, let the sparks fly June 12 and all summer long (and thanks to Fogo, it won’t just be the temps outside heating up!)
If you’re looking to enjoy a romantic re-do at Fogo for your very own Brazilian Valentine’s Day celebration or just need an excuse to try someplace new, I’m giving away a $150 dining card so you can enjoy a dinner for two (only valid on food and non-alcoholic beverages).
To Enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post or on my Facebook post or Instagram story. The more posts you leave, the more entrees you get!!!!
To reserve a table, please visit fogodechao.com
Don’t forget to follow @fogo on instagram for an additional entry.
#fogo
#HotterinJune
If you’re not familiar with the term, an “influencer” is someone who has a large following on social media. They’re followed by swarths of fans who regularly view their content and respect what they have to say.
In this way, they have influence over specific groups of people. That isn’t to say that this is a negative sort of influence, only that influencers have a good deal of respect in their respective niches.
Another thing that’s great about influencers is that their influence is so specific. Typically, an influencer is an expert in some kind of field. Whether it’s beauty, outdoor exploration, video games, skateboarding, or any other topic that humans have an interest in, there’s probably an influencer that has a decent following in that field.
This gives you the ability to reach out to influencers in your field and use them to help you expose thousands of interested customers to your product. For marketers, an interested audience with a respected endorsement is invaluable.
If you’re having trouble finding great influencers to work with, we can help you out with some more ideas. You can find a complete guide to influencer networks if you wish to learn more.
How to Connect with Influencers
Your goal should be to find influencers who most directly speak to your target audience. If your business is closely related to their field of expertise, there’s a good chance that they will agree to use you as a sponsor.
It’s also important that they respect your business and are willing to get behind your message and product.
Your agreement should include a particular set of specifications to include your product in their content. Decide how many pieces of content you’d like to be spotlighted in, what kind of spotlight you’d like, and how much each instance of exposure will cost.
Then create a payment agreement that you can work with the influencer on. Typically, they’ll have specific rates for each sponsorship and you might have to adhere to what they say on that fact.
Remember, influencers have created a career for themselves that they can direct however they please. They have nobody to answer to, and odds are that there are a lot of companies that would be happy to sponsor them.
Once you’ve got the agreement laid out, your business will be supported by a respected member of your target audience. That endorsement can do a great deal for your business, especially if their content features themselves using your product and uses a call to action for followers to make a purchase.
It never hurts if you include a discount code for references, either.
Need More Marketing Help?
Getting more business through influencer marketing is easy if you can manage a great campaign. If you’re having trouble finding great influencers to work with, we can help you out with some more ideas.
Explore our site for more ideas on digital marketing and how to get your business to see better results.
I have seen all over Social Media many many people reading this weeks Book Club choice, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.
A New York Times Top Ten Book of the Year and National Book Award finalist, Pachinko is an “extraordinary epic” of four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family as they fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan (San Francisco Chronicle).
NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2017 * A USA TODAY TOP TEN OF 2017 * JULY PICK FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR-NEW YORK TIMES BOOK CLUB NOW READ THIS * FINALIST FOR THE 2018DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE* WINNER OF THE MEDICI BOOK CLUB PRIZE
Roxane Gay’s Favorite Book of 2017, Washington Post
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER * WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER * WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER
“There could only be a few winners, and a lot of losers. And yet we played on, because we had hope that we might be the lucky ones.”
In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant–and that her lover is married–she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son’s powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.
Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan’s finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee’s complex and passionate characters–strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis–survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history. – Amazon.com
*Includes reading group guide*
For more information or to purchase this book, click HERE.
Considering buying a house? This is great news! By buying your own home, you can gain a lot more control over your life, as you aren’t worried about potentially having to move properties every time a tenancy or lease comes to an end. You will also find yourself investing in something that you get to keep for yourself, sell later down the line or pass on to loved ones. Of course, buying a house is no minor step. Your home tends to be the biggest asset you spend money on in your lifetime, so you’re going to want to take the process seriously and do what you can to get the best house you can for your money. Here are a few steps that can guide you along this path and help you experience success in your house-buying journey!
Determining Your Budget
When you start seriously considering making the move from renting to buying, you are going to need to know how much you can realistically spend on your house. Having a budget will give you insight into what you can afford. This will then give you the freedom to start browsing houses and seeing what you might be able to get for your money. There are a few different ways you can determine your budget, but those outlined below provide a good place to start out!
Use a Mortgage Calculator
Next, you need to know how much you need to save. This is where mortgage calculators come in useful. When you use a mortgage calculator, it will take your income and essential outgoings into account. It will then determine what is a reasonable mortgage amount that you’re likely to be approved for. There are plenty available online and the majority are free to use, such as tdsr.
Consult a Financial Advisor
Of course, mortgage calculators are a tool that can work well if you input information completely honestly and openly. But a financial advisor will be able to get to know you better as a person, including details concerning your field of work, your job security, your spending habits, and more. All of this information can then be drawn together to conjure up a long-term financial forecast for you. This can help to make a truly realistic budget that you are much more likely to stick to and live happily with. Sure, financial advisors may cost more, but often, they’re worth the investment.
Saving Your Deposit
Once you know how much you can spend on your home, you can get an idea of what kind of mortgage deposit you’re going to have to save. Generally speaking, mortgage lenders expect anything between a 0% deposit to a 20% deposit. Remember, the bigger a deposit you put down, the smaller your monthly mortgage payments will be. So, often, people like to put down as big a deposit as they possibly can. Now, saving a deposit is easier said than done, but here are some tips that can help you to achieve your goal in the best time possible.
Clear Any Outstanding Debt First
The first step you need to take before starting to save your mortgage deposit is to clear any outstanding debt that you may already have. At the end of the day, it doesn’t make sense to save when you already owe money out. By clearing your debts, you can avoid interest payments and funnel this money into your savings instead. Being debt free is also likely to help your mortgage application, as your lender will be able to see that you manage your finances responsibly.
Reduce Spending and Maximise Saving
Once you’re debt free, you’ll have a new slate and can start working towards your goal of saving your mortgage deposit. Now really is the time to start saving! But what steps can you do to maximize this skill and to put away as much as possible? Here are some suggestions that could prove pretty useful throughout this journey!
- Open a LISA – when saving a mortgage deposit, you’re most likely best off putting your money into a LISA, or lifetime ISA. Put simply, this is a high interest savings account that will help you to save your mortgage deposit. Not only does it offer you a space that is separate from your personal finances to save your money in – preventing you from dipping into it – but you will gain interest on the money that is in your account too! This account has a high interest rate in exchange for you building up the money in the account without withdrawing, so make sure to read the terms and conditions surrounding making withdrawals before depositing your money. If you don’t want to be fined for accessing your money if you need it, you can look into other high interest savings accounts with more flexibility.
- Earn Money Online – remember that there are countless ways to earn extra money around your salary online. This means you can work your regular hours and then make some extra cash alongside what you earn from your usual job. Consider setting up an eBay store to sell on old or unwanted belongings. You could start up a freelance role and complete projects on a remote basis for a client or agency.
- Request Overtime – if your workplace allows for overtime, you may want to consider booking some in. By putting in some requests for extra work andb by taking on the extra extra hours on offer, you can significantly increase your income, giving you more disposable income to put aside for extra savings towards your deposit.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have your deposit saved, you will know how much you’re planning on spending overall and you can start getting in touch with estate agents to begin the official house hunting process. These are exciting times and, hopefully, some of the information provided will help you to get your hands on the house you truly want!
This recipe is a little out of the box for me. I am really not a big Indian Food but everyone raves about Butter Chicken. I decided to look it up and it actually is quite easy to make. The prep time is only 20 minutes and there are only 3 steps from beginning to end. This is right up my alley. I added the ingredients to my shopping list and have it on the menu for the weekend!! Bon Appetit!!!
(adapted from Cooking Professionally)
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion diced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely minced or grated (or use paste)
2-3 cloves garlic finely minced or crushed
1 1/2 pounds about 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
4 tablespoons tomato paste or 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder or paprika, adjust to taste
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup heavy cream (sub for half & half or yogurt for low fat)
fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Add the oil and butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and cook until golden. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it burn).Step 2
Add chicken, tomato paste, and all spices. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently until cooked through.Step 3
Add the cream and allow contents to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over rice (and some Naan!)
Every other summer I feel like I need to buy a new set of beach towels. I searched the internet for some of the best towels for the Summer of 2021. Here is what I found…I really like them all. It is tough to narrow it down…I love the look of a striped towel but some of these prints are looking so nice too!!! Decisions…Decisions!!!
These striped towels come in a bunch of colors and in a set of 6!!!
These green palm design towels are FAB…If you are wanting more of a print…
I really like the look of this Missoni dupe. It is very glamorous!!
Dying over this gorgeous Ikat print…
This tie-dye stripe version is beautiful..love the color combination…
This pattern is very Beverly Hill Hotel…might be my fave so far!!!!
I like the idea of a wavy stripe…very different and also great colors!
This is a great classic stripped towel from Amazon.
My friend had a bunch of Turkish towels by her pool. They looked fabulous!!
