Time for Good Food

I love summer. I love gardening. I love good food. Those three things naturally go together.

Most of us want to eat well. That means preparing fresh, seasonal foods that taste great. This summer, I have a bounty of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden. I also am growing dill, parsley and garlic. When I was invited to a beach picnic, I decided to create a Greek dip (tzatziki) by combining plain Chobani Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, parsley and garlic to serve with my freshly harvested vegetables.

The people at the beach picnic practically inhaled the appetizer. Who says eating healthy food is boring? Not only that, but a recipe like this is very easy to prepare.





Greek (Tzatziki) Dip
1 6 oz. package nonfat Greek yogurt
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. freshly chopped dill
1 Tbs. freshly chopped parsley
1 finely chopped garlic clove
pinch salt (to taste)

Wash all the herbs carefully, then dry and chop them.
Mix together all the ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour to meld the flavors.  
Stir before serving.

I also use this dip on my homemade chicken souvlaki, made with fresh herbs, which I serve with Greek salad and pita bread.




Connecticut Tax Free Week Coming Up

I just received this notice from Terrie Wood, my state representative. It's good to keep in mind that you can buy clothes and shoes under $300 without paying sales tax for a week, starting August 19.


With the start of school just around the corner, I wanted to remind you to take advantage of the upcoming “Tax Free Week" which runs from Sunday, August 19 through Saturday, August 25.

The one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6.35 percent sales tax on all clothing and footwear costing less than $300 per item and runs from the third Sunday in August through the following Saturday.

Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price is less than $300, the sale is exempt from taxes. Clothing or footwear under $300 either rented or put on layaway is also tax-free.

Purchases totaling more than $300 will have sales tax calculated on the full cost.

Tax Free Week was first enacted in 2000, and applies to most clothing and footwear purchases that are intended for everyday use.  Goods not covered under the program include items that are solely intended for use in sporting activities and accessories such as jewelry, watches, handbags, and wallets. 

For more information, visit the Department of Revenue Services website at  http://www.ct.gov/drs/.

Best Regards,
Terrie Wood

Aging in Place+Gallivant

Aging in Place+Gallivant is being featured this month (August 2012) as the Client of the Month by 341 Studios. 341 did amazing work for AIP+G, helping us build local awareness of our relatively new nonprofit and its services. Aging in Place+Gallivant is the place to call for transportation and referrals to agencies and vetted services that can help Darien seniors remain in the homes they love as they age. (More information at: www.aginginplacegallivant.org.)

Take a look at 341's work:  http://www.341studios.com/341-clients/client-stories/client-stories-home/aging-in-place.

3.4.1 Studios, LLC, is a marketing and design agency that applies a mix of creative and strategic intelligence to the design of high-quality traditional and digital marketing communications materials.