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Santa Maria Valley Becomes Sizzle Central This May

Santa Maria Valley Becomes Sizzle Central This May

California’s notorious barbecue is ‘steaking’ its claim as the West’s best barbecue, inviting others to experience Sizzle Central

Santa Maria Valley Becomes Sizzle Central This May
Santa Maria Valley is Sizzle Central

Santa Maria Style put West Coast barbecue on the map 150 years ago. Now, Santa Maria Valley is ‘steaking’ its claim. Tune in, follow along, and come see how this slice of California’s Central Coast celebrates Barbecue Month, #SantaMariaStyle.

Big, bold and ready to showdown and throwdown — this is Sizzle Central. A 30-mile stretch of California’s Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley and its expert Santa Maria Style pit masters are prepped and ready to share their expert flavor (and hot takes) with the rest of the world. In honor of National Barbecue Month, Santa Maria Valley will transform into Sizzle Central, an unscripted, spicy and unexpected celebration of all things Santa Maria Style barbecue and is guaranteed to make the culinary world take notice.

No soggy bottoms. 

Sauce is out, spice is in, and Santa Maria Valley is entering the chat with tips on how to grill Santa Maria Style. Santa Maria Valley will be calling out barbecue techniques via its social media channels, challenging the status quo and even offering grilling tips in a Home Chef Throwdown, where anyone can upload their personal barbecue “how tos” to Instagram and/or TikTok tagging @SantaMariaValley and using #SizzleCentral hashtag. 

To kick things off, Santa Maria Valley is sharing just what you need to get started. An updated Santa Maria Style Cookbook is available to download for free and is full of Santa Maria Style recipes and tips. 

Tri-tip + wine country = A match made in heaven. Sip on that, Texas. 

So, what sets Santa Maria Style barbecue apart from the rest? (There is no competition as far as Santa Maria Valley is concerned.) Here at Sizzle Central, barbecue isn’t a smoke show, rather, it’s a spiced-up, red-oak-fired, perfectly wine-paired flavor found in a foodie’s dream destination. 

“Santa Maria Style barbecue is in a category of its own compared to other styles of barbecue because of how we cook the meats,” said Jaime Flores, Santa Maria Valley pitmaster and founder of the Santa Maria Barbecue Festival. “We cook on an open pit and control the heat by raising and lowering our grill. This open pit style allows the meats to cook evenly and the red oak smoke flavors the meats, which are seasoned with a dry seasoning usually consisting of salt, pepper and garlic. With these attributes to our style, there is no reason to sauce the meat.”

Each year, hundreds of people gather in mid-May (May 13, this year) for the annual Santa Maria Barbecue Festival, a celebration of grilling Santa Maria Style. The cornerstone of the event is a professional competition with local celebrity judges that vote on the Best Barbecue in Santa Maria Valley as local businesses and professionals compete for bragging rights and the first-place Branding Iron award. There is also a separate competition for “best backyard cook.”

“The differences between East, West, North and South vary greatly,” said Anthony Minniti, Santa Maria Valley pitmaster. “Each style differs in cooking time, temperature, rub or no rub, and, when applicable, the sauce. I love them all, however, I think Santa Maria Style is the purest form of barbecue because of its balance and simplicity.”

Santa Maria Style barbecue started in the mid-19th century when the rancheros gathered to help each other brand their calves each spring. As a thank-you to fellow vaqueros — America’s first cowboys — the host would prepare a Spanish-style barbecue, consisting of beef barbecued over a red-oak fire, served with Pinquito beans, bread, salsa and homemade desserts. The region’s flagship varieties also pair perfectly with barbecue — cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah — all “bold but gentle” and paired perfectly with barbecue. 

So, what are you waiting for? Come to Sizzle Central (whether in person or at home) and experience Santa Maria Style barbecue either for the first time or again and again. Of course, there’s no better way than to get the complete Santa Maria Style experience than in person. With 15 beaches and 34 tasting rooms all within a 30-minute drive, Santa Maria Valley is the perfect home base to do more for less. Explore all you can do in and around the valley. For more information, visit santamariavalley.com.

Media Note: Media interested in speaking with a pitmaster, joining the Home Chef Throwdown or experiencing the region to check out all its flavors, please email [email protected]. Media Familiarization Tours are available for interested media on assignment. 

Photo Cutline: This May (aka National Barbecue Month), Santa Maria Valley is Sizzle Central. A variety of multimedia and photo assets are available for download and media use. 

About Santa Maria Valley:

Serving the greater Santa Maria Valley in the heart of California’s Central Coast, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau is a nonprofit association that facilitates local tourism and provides information on the region’s many attractions and visitor services. Famed for its fine wines, natural wonders, agricultural heritage and flavorful barbecue, the Santa Maria Valley offers a broad range of cultural, sporting and historical experiences. For details on Santa Maria Valley lodging, wine tasting, travel deals and e-newsletter alerts, visit santamariavalley.com or call (800) 331-3779.

Contact Information:

Nicole Shearer

Director of Public Relations

[email protected]

530-448-6485

Original Source:

Santa Maria Valley Becomes Sizzle Central This May

The post Santa Maria Valley Becomes Sizzle Central This May first appeared on RSVTV news.

FirstNet, Built With AT&T, Teams With First H.E.L.P. to Support New England First Responders With #ResponderReadiness Training

FirstNet, Built With AT&T, Teams With First H.E.L.P. to Support New England First Responders With #ResponderReadiness Training

First H.E.L.P. and FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, have doubled down on their commitment to provide first responders with world-class mental health training through First H.E.L.P.’s #ResponderReadiness Workshop Series.

FirstNet, Built With AT&T, Teams With First H.E.L.P. to Support New England First Responders With #ResponderReadiness Training
#ResponderReadiness Small Group Discussions

During #ResponderReadiness workshops First Responders work in small groups to have candid conversations about stress management and resilience building techniques.

First H.E.L.P. and FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, have doubled down on their commitment to provide first responders with world-class mental health training through First H.E.L.P.’s #ResponderReadiness Workshop Series. 

During First H.E.L.P.’s four-hour workshops, first responders explore the “3P’s” of responder readiness: performance, persistence, and prevention. Through small group discussions, participants examine the impact that operational stress and trauma have on their careers and families, and take a deep dive using scenario-based training to practice difficult conversations about mental health and suicide prevention with friends, family members, and co-workers. First responders also practice resilience skills using First H.E.L.P.’s #RANGEofResilience.

Upcoming #ResponderReadiness workshops scheduled for Concord, NH, and Chicopee, MA:

  • 15 May: #ResponderReadiness Workshop in Concord, NH, for the NH Fire Academy and EMS Resource Center.
  • 16 May: #ResponderReadiness Workshop and a #RANGEofResilience Instructor for First Responders near Chicopee, MA. 

“A combination of organizational, individual, and family readiness is the keystone of an agency’s ability to serve their community. In the #ResponderReadiness Workshop, First H.E.L.P. places emphasis on getting far ahead of a potential wellness crisis by developing healthy, positive behaviors that foster an organizational culture that is ready to serve,” said Joe Willis, Chief Learning Officer, First H.E.L.P. “While the workshop directly addresses suicide prevention and crisis resource awareness, the primary focus is on resilience and early correction of undesirable behaviors.”

First H.E.L.P. tracks first responder suicides throughout the nation. According to data collected by the organization, 86 New England First Responders were known to be lost to suicide since 2017. 

AT&T is working to ease the burden for communities by providing this First H.E.L.P. high-quality training to New England first responders at no cost. FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. Shaped by the vision of Congress and the first responder community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstNet is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority, an independent agency within the federal government. 

“AT&T’s commitment to our public safety community goes beyond our FirstNet network connectivity,” said Dr. Anna Courie, DPN, RN, PHNA-BC, Director, Responder Wellness, FirstNet Program at AT&T. “We are dedicated to working with First H.E.L.P. to bring mental health resources to first responders across the country—especially in rural areas with limited access. This program with First H.E.L.P. will better equip first responders mentally and physically and help our public safety community stay safer.”

First H.E.L.P.’s goal for 2023 is to bring its #ResponderReadiness workshop to 1,200 first responders throughout the nation.

“This training will provide important tools that are missing in first responder duty bags,” said Christy Lister, a First H.E.L.P. volunteer and co-host of the Beyond the 1st Response podcast. “It is a game changer and will help provide resiliency and normalize conversations about mental well-being.”

First H.E.L.P.’s training program reinforces the strategic priorities established by the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition (FNHWC) to support first responders and their families. The mission of the FNHWC is to integrate responder, community, industry, and academic capabilities to support the health, wellness, and readiness of American first responders.

The two organizations hope to see this training reach as far into these rural communities as possible. While the training is open to federal, state, and large municipal responders, priority will go to smaller communities.

Visit 1stHELP.org or email [email protected] to learn how to bring this training to your community. 

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information:

Joe Willis

Chief Learning Officer

[email protected]

573-337-9484

Original Source:

FirstNet, Built With AT&T, Teams With First H.E.L.P. to Support New England First Responders With #ResponderReadiness Training

The post FirstNet, Built With AT&T, Teams With First H.E.L.P. to Support New England First Responders With #ResponderReadiness Training first appeared on RSVTV news.

Professor’s Beloved Board Game ‘Personal Preference’ Gets a 21st-Century Makeover Thanks to Dedicated Fans

Professor’s Beloved Board Game ‘Personal Preference’ Gets a 21st-Century Makeover Thanks to Dedicated Fans

Second Edition of Personal Preference Available on Kickstarter During May

Professor’s Beloved Board Game ‘Personal Preference’ Gets a 21st-Century Makeover Thanks to Dedicated Fans
Personal Preference Game

Group playing the new edition of the Personal Preference board game

After three-and-a-half decades, a popular board game, Personal Preference, is getting a major upgrade. The 1988 game, which sold hundreds of thousands of copies and became a favorite of Hollywood celebrities, is finally spawning a new, updated version. Thanks to the efforts of a group of devoted fans and the game’s original creator, retired Purdue Professor Don Carlston, players both old and new will be able to enjoy a modern take on this classic favorite.

What’s unique about Personal Preference is the expertise that went into its creation and the devotion of its enthusiasts. The original game was based on Professor Carlston’s academic research and was created to serve as an icebreaker and help people get to know each other better.

Some cards in the original game became dated and, over the years, countless fans reached out to Carlston with requests for new cards or offers to buy the rights to the game so it could be updated. Eventually, he decided to team up with some of his most persistent fans to make the new edition a reality. This core team was bolstered by a group of 50 diehard devotees who came together over Zoom during the pandemic to play test and evaluate potential topics. “It really was an international team effort,” says Carlston, “with volunteers from the U.S. and Canada and even Great Britain. And the result is a version that is even better than the original.”

Carlston suggests that the lasting success of Personal Preference is because “most people enjoy hearing others’ impressions of their likes and dislikes, and they also enjoy revealing and explaining their true tastes and preferences. These are the things that define who we are, so they are also the best way to get to know and connect with others.” Now, as we come out of the isolation of the pandemic, the dedication of a group of devoted Personal Preference fans will give old and new players alike a fun, new way to reconnect with friends and family.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/personalpreference/personal-preference-updated-edition

Contact Information:

Don Carlston

CEO, Inventor

[email protected]

7657140256

Original Source:

Professor’s Beloved Board Game ‘Personal Preference’ Gets a 21st-Century Makeover Thanks to Dedicated Fans

The post Professor’s Beloved Board Game ‘Personal Preference’ Gets a 21st-Century Makeover Thanks to Dedicated Fans first appeared on RSVTV news.

The National Memorial Day Parade Returns to Washington, DC, Led by Legends of Space

The National Memorial Day Parade Returns to Washington, DC, Led by Legends of Space

Last living ‘moonwalkers’ to Grand Marshal the parade as NASA prepares for America’s return to the moon after more than 50 years

Today, in commemoration of Military Appreciation Month, the American Veterans Center (AVC) announces the return of the National Memorial Day Parade Presented by Boeing, on Constitution Avenue alongside the iconic monuments of the National Mall, starting at 2 pm on Monday, May 29th, 2023.

Grand Marshals of the 2023 National Memorial Day Parade will be ‘The Legends of Apollo‘ – heroes from NASA’s famed Apollo program and the first men to walk on the moon – coming as NASA prepares the next generation of moonwalkers through the forthcoming Artemis program. The parade, presented by Boeing, is the largest Memorial Day event in the nation and serves as a moving timeline of American history, featuring historical re-enactors, military veterans, active duty personnel, celebrities, and entertainers to honor and salute the men and women who have sacrificed in service to America.

“AVC is proud to announce the return of this holiday tradition and honored to welcome these legends of history as our Grand Marshals,” said AVC President Tim Holbert“They symbolize America’s shared values of service and sacrifice and their achievements inspire hope for Americans’ potential as we look to the future.”

Joining as Grand Marshals will be Russell ‘Rusty’ Schweickart (lunar module pilot on Apollo 9) Charlie Duke (lunar module pilot on Apollo 16), and Harrison ‘Jack’ Schmidt (lunar module pilot on Apollo 17) – Duke and Schmidt being two of the four living men to walk on the moon, with Schmidt being the last living person to have set foot on its surface.

The National Memorial Day Parade will be joined by honored veterans from World War II to the present day as a tribute to those who have served and sacrificed.

“All of us at The Boeing Company want to thank the American Veteran’s Center for your ongoing commitment to our veterans and for making this parade possible,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes“It’s an honor to support this powerful tribute to our fallen service members.”

In addition to the live, in-person experience, the parade’s television special will be broadcast on national television through major network affiliates (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, CW) and worldwide to every military installation and Navy ship at sea on American Forces Network, to reach a collective audience of more than 100 million households. The American Veterans Center re-introduced the tradition of a Memorial Day parade along Constitution Avenue in 2005, decades after it had faded away during the Second World War.

Additional information will be announced this month. Follow @AVCUpdate on Twitter and visit NationalMemorialDayParade.com to stay updated.

The American Veterans Center (AVC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation dedicated to guarding the legacy and honoring the sacrifice of our military personnel from every generation.

Contact Information:

Kenny Cunningham

[email protected]

Original Source:

The National Memorial Day Parade Returns to Washington, DC, Led by Legends of Space

The post The National Memorial Day Parade Returns to Washington, DC, Led by Legends of Space first appeared on The Offspring Session.

HelloPrenup & the Knot Promote Prenups in ‘Get the Prenup’

HelloPrenup & the Knot Promote Prenups in ‘Get the Prenup’

The Knot, a leading wedding publication, featured the premier prenuptial agreement platform, HelloPrenup, to propose the importance of prenups when entering into marriage.

The informative series, “Get the Prenup,” written by Deputy Editor, Esther Lee, in The Knot Magazine Summer 2023 Inspiration Issue, with designed illustrations by Abby McCartin, gets on one knee about the benefits of prenuptial agreements and how at minimum, a prenup can encourage communication before entering marriage.

Prenuptial agreements by nature are designed to be a wealth planning tool and act as a key resource for getting on the same page financially as their partner. 

“While each marriage differs, a solid prenup unifies couples in at least one respect: It encourages communication as you prepare for marriage…With contractual services available online, there’s little reason not to discuss your financial solution with your partner. Trust us: Sign the prenup before the marriage license.” – Esther Lee, Deputy Editor, The Knot

Though prenups have traditionally been seen as “taboo” or “unromantic,” there’s an increasing shift in prenup perceptions among millennials and Gen-Zers and how the benefits mitigate potential risks encountered prior to getting into a legally binding contract. 

“Our data found that 46% of couples describe prenups as ‘smart,’ while another 20 percent perceived these contracts to be ‘cynical,” says Lee.

Featured within the article is Julia Rodgers, the Chief Prenup Officer and CEO of HelloPrenup—the online prenuptial agreement platform for affordable, timely, and collaborative prenups. Traditionally, the prenuptial agreement process was sought through billable attorney hours, lengthy contract negotiations, and relatively adversarial conversations between partners and their counsel. Within the article, she gives examples of how states view money as a married couple and what to consider when discussing the couple’s future.

“Without a prenuptial agreement, in most states, monetary gifts received during the marriage will be considered marital property. A prenup allows couples to decide if they would like these monetary gifts to be considered separate property.” — Julia Rodgers, CEO & co-founder, HelloPrenup

HelloPrenup’s mission is to get every couple the legal protection they need without spending thousands of hours or dollars on prioritizing their financial future before entering one of the most exciting times of their lives.

HelloPrenup has been featured on Shark TankCNN BusinessForbesThe Boston GlobeGeekWire, and The New Yorker, among others. Want more information on Julia or HelloPrenup? Contact [email protected] or visit HelloPrenup.com to learn more.

Contact Information:

Lauren Lavender

Chief Marketing Officer

[email protected]

408 476 0719

Original Source:

HelloPrenup & the Knot Promote Prenups in ‘Get the Prenup’

The post HelloPrenup & the Knot Promote Prenups in ‘Get the Prenup’ first appeared on RSVTV news.