Latest news with #Hansel
Boston Globe
31-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Boston Globe
Dave Epstein: Savor the weekend and carve out time for some flower, vegetable gardening
Over the years, there have been many different varieties of container vegetables. One particular vegetable I like in containers is eggplant. The two varieties that I've grown are Hansel and Gretel, and these long, slender purple and white fruits will do well in the ground or a pot. The disadvantage of the containers, of course, is that you have to water them more often. This is the case with anything you put in a pot. Having an irrigation system with drip or something on a timer can help manage this. Advertisement You can harvest asparagus into mid-June before letting it grow to recharge for next season. Dave Epstein Advertisement Basil, anyone? If you planted your basil at the beginning of May, it may not look so good because of all the cool, wet weather. I grow most of my basil in containers, and I'll be adding that to the mix this weekend. Over the years, I have found that starting the basil outside in June helps mitigate disease anyway. Edamame can be grown in the ground or in a container. I have trouble with chipmunks digging up the seeds, so I cover them with a cloth or a screen until they germinate. Pole beans and bush beans can still be put in the ground through mid-July. Put in those annuals In terms of annuals, anything you can find in the garden store is safe to go outside. Newer varieties of impatiens are more disease-resistant, so if you haven't used those for a few years, give them a try again. Marigolds, geraniums, and petunias are the workhorses of the annual garden. Bacopa, Scaevola, verbena, and tropical salvia are also fantastic in containers or directly in the ground. Fill your window boxes and containers with various annuals for all-season color. Dave Epstein The tropical salvia is a particular favorite of mine because it attracts hummingbirds. They are not frost hardy, so be prepared to say goodbye to them as the hummingbirds move south. Add in some interesting foliage plants, such as canna, begonias, or coleus and you've got a good look that will last until frost. A begonia in flower. Dave Epstein Geraniums are a great warm weather flower that continues blooming all summer. Dave Epstein If you have some sun, throw in some nasturtiums in a hanging basket. Not only will you have flowers that pollinators will like, but they're edible and look great in a summer salad. At this point in the year, I would not be moving plants unless I absolutely had to. It's very risky and your failure rate would be high. If you notice something is just too big and needs to be put in a different spot, carefully dig it out, water it heavily, move it to its new home, and cover it with shade cloth for a week. If you can mist it a couple of times during the day and be sure the soil never dries out, you have your highest chance of success. But it's better to wait until late August and September. Advertisement Iris bloom in late May and early June and are beautiful, but the blooms don't last long. Dave Epstein Leaf mulch As we move forward through June with the strong sunshine and less regular precipitation, it's important to keep your garden weeded and keep those less desirable plants from taking water and nutrients from the ones you want. A 2- to 3-inch coating of leaf mulch will keep the ground from drying out much better than if it were bare. Red garden mulch helps keeps weeds down and can be beneficial for tomato growing. Dave Epstein Remember not to put any mulch too high around a tree because you want to see the flare at the base of the tree. Don't volcano your mulch around the trunk. It's a recipe for problems. Finally, if you're a lawn person, most lawns need about an inch of water a week so they don't go dormant. Some towns have water bans in place, making this difficult. However, if you can water, the best time is from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m., allowing the grass to dry out during the day, lessening the chances of disease. The month with 15 hours of daylight is upon us. This brings an opportunity for lots of outdoor activity. Remember, it won't be long before daylight is shrinking, so make the most of it. Advertisement Healthy trees will have the flare showing and not be covered by mulch. Dave Epstein Have a gardening question for Dave? Send them to weather@ and we will include them in an upcoming column.
Mint
27-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
The return of a ‘feni' legacy
When Hansel Vaz, the man behind Goa's Cazulo Premium Feni, relaunched Dona Maria recently, it marked a rare full circle moment wherein an alcohol brand was brought back after it had been shelved. The year 1983 was pivotal for the Vaz family. Six years prior, Wilson Vaz began Vaz Liquor Industries in the state, and realised the need to create a brand within the family instead of just white labelling alcohol for other brands. It led to the creation of Donna Maria feni, named after his grandmother Maria Vaz and his wife Melanie Maria Vaz. The same year, his son Hansel was born. Donna Maria ran successfully for more than 25 years, but Hansel decided to pull the plug on the brand in 2014 after margins had drastically reduced, and feni started to be looked down upon as a cheap country liquor. He decided to launch a premium feni brand called Cazulo. At the Goa Cashew Festival 2025 recently, Hansel relaunched Dona Maria and brought back the Vaz's first family brand into the market. From Donna to Dona Goa in the 1980s was a different place altogether. The local spirit feni was one of the items, along with Goan cashew that the diaspora spread across Mumbai, Delhi and London never forgot to pack on their return journeys at the end of summer holidays. It didn't matter that the spirit was packed in plastic bottles and there were less than a handful of brands selling feni. 'Back then, people had confidence in the product and their main criteria was that the spirit had to be easy to carry," Hansel says. The brand also created some unforgettable memories for their villagers in Cuncolim during that decade. Hansel remembers the entire village coming together to pack a large order of feni ordered for export to the Middle East by Hindustan Unilever. 'We needed 15 people just to process the order. We were making rice to turn into glue that would seal the bottles. The folks came in an Ambassador car and I was later treated to a meal at Mandovi, the most exclusive restaurant at the time," he recalls. When the brand wanted to make coconut feni, they decided to use green bottles and instantly created a boom with the bottles as it was something no one had ever seen before. But it is the label that comes with the most interesting backstory. The original label was made by JJ School of Arts alumni David Fernandes, but it had one glaring error in the name. The brand was spelled as Donna Maria instead of Dona Maria. Hansel says this was a misunderstanding. 'The extra N alphabet denotes a term of respect much the same way Don Julio tequila is named." Also read: India's bars get creative with zero-proof drinks The bottle art was hand-painted by Fernandes with the words 'cashew fenny' in big letters to distinguish it from the other popular white spirit of the time – vodka. The rebranded version finally corrects the error, and is named Dona Maria, but there's no 'cashew fenny' written on it. Hansel, with his aggressive push for feni over the past decade, has ensured that people don't confuse it with any other spirit. The new label also comes with a cork and wax seal bearing the family emblem designed by Wilson. When he first saw the new bottle, Wilson couldn't help but smile. 'I was desperate to get a reaction out of him," Hansel says simply of the moment. The Dil Chahta Hai effect Domestic tourists first began discovering the charms of Goa after the massive success of Dil Chahta Hai, the Aamir Khan starrer directed by Farhan Akhtar in 2001. The movie changed Goa – and feni – forever, according to Hansel. Donna Maria was one among five-odd brands such as Big Boss and Cajulana among others selling feni in the state until then. But the jump in domestic tourists saw over a thousand feni brands launching at the turn of the century, leading to an alarming dip in quality and rise in prices. Donna Maria was selling at INR 150 in 2013 and with a turnover of just INR 3 lakh in the entire year, it became clear that the brand wouldn't survive any longer. Feni had acquired a bad taste over the previous decade, and locals had gone back to their trusted sources for the spirit. 'I didn't know how to break the news to my parents so I just said someone had forgotten to register the label that year (in 2014). They met the news with absolute silence at the time. I wanted to relaunch since 2018 because my parents are now in their 70s, and this is their legacy," Hansel says. Hansel was already working on Cazulo, a more premium version of feni to raise standards and prices of the spirit. It took him a year to figure out the entire process and the spirit stayed in barrels until they were ready to launch in the market. When Cazulo Premium Feni hit stores in 2018, it was a one-year rested bottle selling for INR 600 that shocked locals who feared the spirit was going out of their hands. Dona Maria will sell for the same amount with the relaunch. Balancing brands Hansel says that there is space for a good feni brand at the lower end of the price point in the market today where Dona Maria can make a mark. While Cazulo now sells for INR 900 a bottle, most other new-age feni brands sell for even higher prices. 'It's a calculated move to launch at a lower price point because no one is playing at that price point," he adds. More than the price, it's the renewed nostalgia that has caught Hansel by surprise. When his team approached retail stores with the new bottle, many old-timers looked back with fondness at the brand. This is also the target audience that Hansel wants to go after. According to him, while Cazulo is a feni brand for everyone interested in the spirit, 'Dona Maria is for a Goan who wants to drink at home with friends and family." The first batch of Dona Maria's 6500 bottles is now available in Goa for sale, but not without its own glitch. Hansel's team had asked for a red seal but received a magenta-purple seal, something that will be unique only to the first batch of Dona Maria along with yet another story to pass on to the family about its most cherished brand. Also read: World cocktail day: Mixology goes high-tech with fancy bar equipment Priyanko Sarkar is a Mumbai-based writer covering the F&B industry.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre presents twist on Hansel & Gretel
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A new, fun spin on a classic fairy tale is coming to Wichita Falls. The Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre will perform Hansel and Gretel in two performances at MSU's Fain Fine Arts Auditorium, on Friday, May 16, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 17, at 1 p.m. Tickets for the show are $25 and can be bought online. 'Hansel and Gretel' is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. It was published in 1812 as part of Grimms' Fairy Tales. Hansel and Gretel are siblings who are abandoned in a forest and fall into the hands of a witch who lives in a house made of bread, cake and sugar. The witch intends to fatten Hansel before eating him. Although Gretel saves her brother by pushing the witch into her oven, she escapes with the witch's treasure. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
I took my children to the Dutch theme park that's a quieter, cheaper alternative to Disneyland Paris – and they preferred it
As my eight-year-old tore across a sun-dappled clearing in the forest, his eyes locked on a golden coin that had just flown out of a donkey statue's bottom, my daughter and I were doubled over in hysterics. 'Mum, this is the best weekend I've ever had in my whole life!' he gushed, brandishing his loot like pirate treasure. It wasn't about the coin, distinctly plastic-looking, easily obtainable by anyone who taps their card on the donkey for a modest fee of 50 cents. It was about shared escapism and moments that pushed our imagination to the limit. Moments we had in abundance during our 72 hours in Efteling. Take eating pancakes, for example. In most theme parks, you queue, order, and eat. But in Efteling's Polle's Keuken restaurant, the experience unfolds like a scene from a storybook. Plates spin through the air, waiters weave theatrically between tables, and your steaming stack arrives as if by magic. Given the enchanted setting, I braced myself when the menu arrived. Would I be sipping tap water while my children feasted? But as my eyes skimmed the prices – €10 (£8.56) for most dishes – I exhaled. I could enjoy my meal without money anxiety gnawing at me. We are a family of theme park aficionados. We've visited Disneyland Paris, Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventure, Legoland, and Drayton Manor, usually with my two younger children, and my husband in tow to manage the chaos. While I adore the adrenaline rush, the elaborate shows, and the feeling of stepping into another world, I usually find myself in an invisible brace position when it comes to spending. At Disneyland Paris, a snack costs €10 (£8.56), a bottle of water is practically gold-dusted, and Mickey Mouse ears require a small mortgage. The more children we take, the more expensive it gets. At Efteling, indulgence doesn't come with a stomach-churning price tag. A warm, gooey stroopwafel, fresh from the iron, costs just €3 (£2.57). My son opted for one covered in chocolate and toffee squares, which was €4.25 (£3.64). A huge shareable stick of candy floss was €2 (£1.71). Our favourite light lunch? A spiralled potato crisp on a stick with a light paprika dusting – crunchy, golden, and filling, for a mere €5 (£4.28). And it's not just about the food. Efteling is pure fairytale magic. The park opened in 1953, three years before Disneyland, California; it feels like the original blueprint for what Disney later commercialised. At Efteling, enchantment is woven into every detail, from the talking waste bins (a chubby Hansel who sings when fed) to the dreamlike Droomvlucht ride, where unicorns, elves, and fairies float past in the twilight. Efelting's Fairytale Forest is a wonderland of toadstool hideaways and storytelling trees, bringing beloved tales like Pinocchio and Snow White to life in Dutch, German, and English. And like Disney, Efteling has roaming characters. But here's the difference: no lines, no hefty fees – just spontaneous, magical encounters. If you've ever tackled Disneyland, you'll know that navigating the park requires military precision. Character meet-and-greets involve pre-booking or hour-long queues. At Efteling, even at the height of summer, we never queued for meet and greets or waited more than 30 minutes for a ride. And without a pressure-cooker list of must-dos like Space Mountain at Disney and Oblivion at Alton Towers, as visitors, you meander, discovering attractions organically rather than stampeding towards them. That doesn't mean that Efelting has less of a thrill. We find all the rides spellbinding. Symbolica, Droomvlucht, Fata Morgana, and Carnival Festival are all dark rides, meaning they are indoor attractions where you sit in carts that transport you through immersive fantasy worlds without sudden drops or sickening spins. Yet adrenaline-junkies aren't forgotten – The Flying Dutchman plunges riders into a lake with a spectacular splash, and the pirate ship swings until it's almost vertical. The only ride we skipped was Baron 1898, a nerve-shattering vertical drop coaster that dangles you over the abyss for five suspenseful seconds before plummeting face-first. A tiny part of me was relieved that my children weren't tall enough. Efteling sprawls across a vast woodland landscape, so little legs do tire. Fortunately, you can hire charming wooden carts to pull weary children along for just €5 (£4.28), which I found a small price for saving energy and maximising magic. And when it was time to rest, our accommodation was a mere 10-minute walk away. In summer, the park stays open until 9pm, ending each night with a mesmerising water and light show, reminiscent of the Las Vegas Bellagio fountain and infused with fairytale charm. As we packed up to leave, my son turned to me, wide-eyed and said, 'I never knew you could have a holiday in just a weekend.' The spell had been cast. Efelting's magic made the stress of London disappear within less than an hour of being in the park, and we arrived home feeling refreshed, revitalised, and stunned by what can be achieved in a weekend. At just over an hour by car from Amsterdam Airport and just over two hours if taking public transport, as we did, getting there couldn't be simpler. I asked the children if they'd rather return to Disneyland or Efelting, and in unison they shouted, 'Efelting!', so loudly that the whole street could hear. Where to stay Efteling offers three accommodation options. Loonsche Land provides affordable chalets and self-catering lodges from £311 and the grand Efteling Hotel mirrors the Disneyland Paris castle experience but rooms start from a more reasonable £500. Bosrijk, where we stayed, features suites and holiday homes in a village-like setting, surrounded by towering trees and tranquil ponds, and two-bed family rooms cost from £311. Accommodation includes park tickets for two days if you stay one night, three days if you stay two nights, etc. Entry to Efelting (without accommodation) depends on the season, but is between €38 (£33) and €51 (£44) and under-threes go free. KLM flies from London Heathrow to Amsterdam from £150 return. Catch a Dutch Railways train from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Den Bosch, which takes 55 minutes and costs €20.30 (£17.38) From Den Bosch station catch bus 301 (€4; £3.43) to Horst, directly outside Efelting. Download the 9292 app to buy and store Dutch public transport tickets in one place.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Boyfriend Speaks Out After Girlfriend Dies in Spring Break Crash: 'I Hope Heaven Treats You Well'
An April 21 crash in Florida killed three Massachusetts high school seniors and left another in critical condition In the wake of the tragedy, Warren Hansel penned a heartfelt Instagram post about girlfriend Hannah Wasserman, 18 'You are not just the love of my life but my best friend," Hansel wrote The boyfriend of an 18-year-old Massachusetts high school senior, who died in a Florida car crash earlier this week alongside two other classmates, said she was the love of his life in a heartbreaking social media post. 'There are so many things I love about you and so many things I'm going to miss,' Warren Hansel wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to Hannah Wasserman, 18. 'You made everyone around you so happy and energetic, I've never met someone with the ability to light up a room like you could,' Hansel added alongside a series of photos of the pair. "You are not just the love of my life but my best friend.' Related: Dad and Infant Survive Wrong-Way Florida Crash That Killed 3 Members of Their Family: 'Heartbreaking' Wasserman, who attended Concord-Carlisle High School, was in Florida with three other students, all 18, at the time of the crash on Monday, April 21, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report reviewed by PEOPLE. Both Wasserman and Jimmy McIntosh, the car's driver, were pronounced dead on the scene. Passengers Maisey O'Donnell and a fourth student, who has not been identified, were taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City, according to CBS News. O'Donnell later died in the hospital, while the fourth student was in critical condition. Related: Mass. High School Diving Champion Dies at 18 in Car Crash During Spring Break Trip According to the report, the crash took place around 9:30 p.m., local time, when an SUV crashed into a tractor-trailer driven by a 19 year old. The tractor-trailer was making a U-turn at the time. The report stated that "the SUV went across the median ... before coming to final rest in the wood line on the south side of the highway." McIntosh was wearing a seatbelt, but it's unclear if the three passengers were. The driver and passenger of the tractor-trailer were not injured. An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "We are very appreciative of the outpouring of love during what is absolutely heartbreaking,' Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Superintendent Dr. Laurie Hunter said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "We are all devastated beyond what we can understand today. I know that the difficult days ahead will be ones we face together." Related: 4 High Schoolers Dead After SUV Crashes into Tree In the Instagram tribute, Hansel called the crash a "heartbreaking" tragedy. "I love you still and will love you forever," Hansel added. "Rest easy Hannah, I hope heaven treats you well." In his Instagram story, Hansel shared a post from Ryan Valentine about O'Donnell, a state diving champion who planned to attend Williams College after graduation, according to ABC affiliate WCVB 'It is so tragic that you were taken from us so soon. I love you more than anything and there is truly no describing the impact that you had on my life. Your smile lit up every room and your kindness touched many,' Valentine wrote in the Instagram post. 'Your happiness was always so infectious and you couldn't help but spread joy everywhere you went," Valentine added. "Earth lost a lot of light today, but I know that the stars will shine brighter with you." Grief counselors will be made available at the high school on Wednesday, April 23, as well as on Monday, April 28, when classes resumes after spring break. Read the original article on People
