Latest news with #Sandy
Irish Independent
a day ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Radio presenter Anton Savage on his dog Sandy: ‘Fetching? Let's just say he is a Golden Retriever who has yet to retrieve anything!'
Sandy is the spitting image of my last dog, Jack, who died about three years ago. Jack lived to be an old dog, but even though he had bad hips and bad elbows in his final years, he was stoic. In physical form, Jack was a Golden Retriever, alright, but in character that was only half of it; the other half of his mindset was something like that of a German Shepherd. He was always protecting his perimeter wherever we went, especially if we were off camping somewhere. Right to the end, Jack was still powering on as best he could. He was fierce noble. After he died, like with any dog you've been close to, you're left with the feeling that you don't want to be disloyal, so it was a year or so before I got Sandy. He is such an athletic dog. I live near St Anne's Park in Dublin and we go there a lot. I cycle, he runs. Golden Retrievers were bred as gun dogs. The invention of the rifle meant that game could be shot from further away. Using spaniels to retrieve was all very well, but after about 80 yards they were wrecked. Golden Retrievers were bigger, tougher and could run for longer. I know that when I run the legs off Sandy, he really loves it. It's like he thinks we're out in the wild and I'm saying: 'Go grab a duck!' I didn't have a dog as a kid but I always had a vaguely romantic notion that it would be nice to have one. It's not until you actually get a dog, though, that you realise the difference between romance and reality. I mean, the sheer amount of excrement in any given day from a dog the size of Sandy is an absolute revelation! And then there's the hair; it's everywhere. Even in the dishwasher. When I took it apart recently, I discovered that the insulation layer was no longer black — it was white, thanks to Sandy's hair! Never underestimate the level of responsibility involved in looking after a dog. Some people are born consistently reliable and responsible. For those of us who aren't, it's a bit of a wake-up call. Dogs have to be walked and fed, day in and day out, for the rest of their lives. And they need to be very well trained. I find it amazing, though, just how well dogs are able to read you; they can pick your mind. Sandy certainly looks like my old dog Jack, but he has different ways about him. Jack loved fetching — he'd have dug up a tree to get himself a stick. Sandy is an affectionate dog; just leaning against me is his version of a hug. And he has a small green dinosaur toy that he loves; if anything disturbs him, he picks it up and carries it around with him. But fetching? Well, let's just say that Sandy is a Golden Retriever who has yet to retrieve anything! As told to Roslyn Dee
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SandyLion Stickers Were an '80s Favorite. Creators Sandy and Lionel, Now in Their 80s, Tell the Story of the Beloved Brand
A granddaughter sharing her family's little-known legacy has gone viral Alli, on TikTok @allidoes1, went viral after revealing her grandparents, Sandy and Lionel Waldman, founded SandyLion stickers The family tells PEOPLE about building the business, becoming a beloved part of sticker fandom for kids in the 80s and 90s and moving onA proud granddaughter has shared her grandparents' special legacy in hopes of reaching their biggest fans. Allison, on TikTok @allidoes1, made a video with her grandparents, Sandy and Lionel Waldman, about their journey building SandyLion stickers, a beloved brand for craft enthusiasts and sticker collectors throughout the 80s and 90s. The company came from humble beginnings and two different worlds colliding, as the couple tells PEOPLE. "In the early days, Lionel lost his father when he was 15 and had to drop out of school to join the family business with his much older brother, and he did business college at night. Unfortunately, the business failed," Sandy recalls. "He worked for a leather goods company, after which he worked as a rep at Mattel Toys selling Barbies, sold electrical components, and he was a carpet salesman." "Prior to the sticker business, I did fashion show commentating and was a medical secretary. I always loved artistry, and I would go to charitable organizations and get sponsors to put together fashion shows," she continues. 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. The pair started their business as printers, able to expand after purchasing their own printing press. "We started as Labelad, manufacturing labels for consumer products like shampoos, moisturizers, socks, beverages, pharmaceutical and promotional items," Sandy says. It was when they got the idea to make stickers that the business "grew very rapidly." At first, it was intimidating because the couple "needed financing to cover that growth." "The bank was not very familiar with the industry, and so it took a lot of persistence to convince them to give us the funds needed," Sandy explains. "It was a challenge in the beginning to convince major licensors/studios to grant us licenses. It took a long time to win Disney over. After that, they all started coming." Over the years, SandyLion delighted kids with original sticker designs, as well as stickers featuring their favorites from Disney, Star Wars, Pokémon, Barbie and more. "In the beginning, when there weren't as many licenses, a license for something like a Disney movie was very lucrative because retailers would make re-orders when they sold out. As the market got more saturated with licenses, the retailers would not be interested in re-orders and would move on to the next hottest property," she says, adding, "Knock-offs also impacted the market." As for the most successful sets, "Pokémon was the most successful. It was difficult to keep up with demand, and there were multiple orders from retailers to keep up with demand. It was a huge windfall." While growing exponentially was great news on the financial front, it presented a lot of logistical challenges "We had to manage growth, ensuring we had enough physical space for manufacturing and inventory," Sandy says, noting "everything from artwork and pre-press to finishing" was happening within the same company and location. "We had to source machinery globally to do printing presses with additional print stations and packaging and finishing." The business side had its ups and downs, but the creative work, and how it was being received worldwide, provided respite and reward. "At the height of our business, one of the most exciting achievements was successfully exporting throughout Europe and Asia. We exported to over 50 countries. There was no limit to our creativity. Our artists all had voracious appetites for creativity and so the well never ran dry," Sandy says. "It was very exciting to collaborate with the artists. We grew from one to 10 to 12. Each one had their own talent in specific areas. We never ran out of wonderful designs," she continues, noting how it was a very collaborative environment. "Our product line contained scrapbooks, paper plates, napkins and other party items. I think that the hum of the presses when we walked through the plant fueled the excitement of our success," she proudly shares. "However, there was also a lot of pressure to continuously innovate. Creating new products like scrapbooking, value packs, school supplies, party goods and albums," Sandy shares. "As we grew, the competition grew. This impacted the market and started compressing margins." As if that wasn't enough for the couple to manage, Sandy and Lionel were also raising three kids as the company grew. "While we were growing our business, we were raising our daughter Nancy, our son Mark and our eldest son Lenny. As wonderful as the success of the company was, nothing compared to raising three fabulous children who certainly appreciated stickers," the proud mom shares. "The kids did give us ideas sometimes. They also got to travel and help at trade shows. They also worked in the business from a young age. Eventually, each of them entered the business in different areas." That appreciation trickled down to Alli, who helped share her grandparents' story on a wider scale. "I was born in the early 2000s, so I missed the big sticker boom but was lucky enough to live through at least a few years of them owning SandyLion," Alli shares. "They had a factory in Markham, Ontario, and attached was a giant warehouse store that was filled with stickers. There were bins of sticker rolls, and each wall was lined with tons and tons of stickers. Even though the store has been closed for years, I can still smell the stickers so clearly." As a kid, Alli remembers enjoying checking out the scrapbooking stickers. "Going to that sticker store felt like heaven because I could pick unlimited stickers to bring home, and it felt like they were all free. Obviously, they weren't because the company had to pay for them, but as a little kid, I had no clue how businesses worked," she laughs. Though the couple sold SandyLion in 2010, the company and its impact still hold a lot of meaning. "For as long as I can remember, my Grandpa, or as I call him Papa, has always kept stickers in his wallet. Every restaurant we went to, my Papa would hand the waiter stickers along with the check, and give any child he saw a square of stickers as well," Alli recalls. "Because I was so young when my grandparents owned the company and then sold it, I don't think I was able to truly understand the extent of their impact and success," she admits. "It wasn't until I got a bit older that I would either see my Papa hand a waiter stickers and see their faces light up instantly and tell a heartwarming story about the impact SandyLion had on them that I started to understand." The TikTok video came to be after Alli's mom showed her another Instagram Reel featuring nostalgic things that included the family's beloved stickers. "The comment section was filled with sweet messages about the company and how people miss the sticker," Alli shares. "My mom commented on the post explaining that the company was founded by my grandparents and was met by more sweet messages about people's sticker collections, experiences going to the store as a kid and various other anecdotes." "Seeing the response that this video received, I figured that there must be more people out there who loved playing with SandyLion stickers as a kid and would be interested to know the faces behind the brand." The response was still much bigger than they anticipated, leaving the whole family feeling "emotional and very surprised." "I was checking my phone every three minutes to find so many new comments from people from all over the world sharing their stories about SandyLion stickers. I don't think I realized how big of a reach the stickers had." The family was particularly touched to see "comments from people who grew up in difficult circumstances, and because SandyLion stickers were fairly inexpensive, they were the only toy they were able to afford." "My grandparents have been giving stickers to SickKids hospital in Toronto for years, but it was also so amazing to hear the personal stories of the people who were in the hospital and found joy in the stickers through such challenging circumstances. It has also been such an amazing way to hear the stories of people who worked at the company. There are so many companies out there with incredible stories, but you would never know because they aren't shared," Alli says. "It was a humbling experience to witness the incredible response from our worldwide audience about the multitude of designs we printed, about sending stickers to hospitals, about giving out stickers in social environments and seeing the joy they brought to people's lives. Over the years, we got a lot of fan mail, but it has been over 15 years since we had the business. The scale of response was so incredibly uplifting to us," Sandy says. "The business was always like a fourth child to us, and so we lost a piece of ourselves when we sold the business," she continues. "Lionel is now 88, and I'm 86. Feeling so much love and being reminded that we made a difference in so many lives really uplifted us and made us very emotional." "As you get older and have to deal with the health issues that come with that, as well as society's perception of you based on appearances and physical challenges, it means a lot to be reminded that your life mattered and that you had such a large impact." Read the original article on People
Time Out
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Kalamansi Kafe
Bangkok's food scene just keeps surprising us! Think it couldn't get any more diverse? Think again. From Italian trattorias and French bistros to fiery Indian curries, the city has it all. But what about the flavours of our neighbours? Can you taste them in the Big Mango? The answer, increasingly, is yes! Take Filipino cuisine, for example. It's not as widely known as some, but that just means there's more to discover. Enter Kalamansi Kafe, a cosy spot serving home-style Filipino dishes that'll have you coming back for more. Curious about adobo or halo-halo? This is your gateway to the Philippines. Located in Soi Suan Phlu, Kalamansi Kafe is named after a citrus fruit central to Filipino cooking.. Its story began during the Covid-19 lockdown when owner Sandy Lopez and her daughters started sharing their roots through delivery meals. What started in their home kitchen soon blossomed into a full-fledged restaurant, thanks to Sandy's partnership with her sister Glecy, an experienced cook. And just like that, Bangkok gained an inviting new spot to savour the bold, authentic flavours of the Philippines. Step inside, and you're welcomed with warm smiles and genuine hospitality. It's as if you're being greeted by family. Even the decor tells a story—don't miss the striking painting of a carabao (the national animal of the Philippines), a nod to the country's heritage and traditions. So, what makes Filipino food so special? It's the incredible blend of influences – Chinese, Malay, Spanish, and American – that come together in exciting ways. If you've never tried it, prepare for a culinary adventure! The flavours are bold yet balanced, with a mix of sweet, sour, and savoury notes that are less spicy than Thai cuisine but just as delicious. Not sure where to start? Begin with the chicharon bulaklak (B275), crispy pork ruffles paired with garlic and spiced vinegar – crunchy and addictive! For the main course, you can't miss the pork belly adobo (B298), a Filipino classic made with tender pork belly braised in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices. It comes with crispy adobo flakes, a soft-boiled egg, and plenty of sauce – don't forget the rice to soak it all up! Want something heartier? Try the oxtail kare kare (B540), a comforting dish with peanut sauce, banana heart, and sauteed shrimp paste. Seafood lovers, the sugpo sa gata (B790) is a must! These jumbo prawns cooked in coconut milk, garlic and chili are pure indulgence. Finish your meal with a true crowd-pleaser: halo-halo. This dynamic dessert layers ube ice cream, leche flan, jackfruit, adzuki beans, and more into a colourful, sweet masterpiece. Grab the single serving (B145) for yourself or go big with the barkada size (B380), large enough to share with ten of your closest friends. Don't forget the drinks! The gin pom pom (B350) is their playful twist on a Filipino favourite. Fresh pomelo, pomegranate juice, and gin come together in a sparkling pink cocktail served in a perfume-style bottle – complete with glitter. It's as fun to sip as it is to admire.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
White has 2 goals, Vite scores in the 90th minute as Whitecaps beat RSL 3-2
Real Salt Lake striker William Agada (9), Real Salt Lake forward Zavier Gozo, second from right, and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ralph Priso, right, battle for the ball during an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Rafael Cabral (1) reaches to block the ball during warm-ups ahead an MLS soccer game against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ralph Priso, front, and Real Salt Lake striker William Agada, back, battle for the ball during an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, second from right, shoots and scores against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka (1) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, second from right, shoots and scores against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka (1) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake striker William Agada (9), Real Salt Lake forward Zavier Gozo, second from right, and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ralph Priso, right, battle for the ball during an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Rafael Cabral (1) reaches to block the ball during warm-ups ahead an MLS soccer game against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ralph Priso, front, and Real Salt Lake striker William Agada, back, battle for the ball during an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, second from right, shoots and scores against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka (1) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) SANDY, Utah (AP) — Brian White scored two goals — his second multi-goal game in his last three and third this season — and Pedro Vite scored from just outside the area in the 90th minute to help the Vancouver Whitecaps rally and beat Real Salt Lake 3-2 on Saturday night. Vancouver (10-1-4) is unbeaten in nine consecutive games dating to a 3-1 loss to Chicago on March 22. Advertisement Vite bent a shot inside the back post to give the Whitecaps their first lead. Zavier Gozo scored his first career goal in the first minute. The 18-year-old in his third MLS season ran onto a ball played ahead by Diego Luna and, from the left side of the area, slipped a shot between the legs of defender Tristan Blackmon and inside the near post. Luna made it 2-0 when he scored his fifth goal in the last six games in the 4th minute. Dominik Marczuk played a cross from the right side that was deflected by goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka, but Luna was there to put away the rebound with a one-touch finish to make it 2-0. Salt Lake scored two goals in the first five minutes of a match for the first time in club history and the is the first team in MLS to do so since the New York Red Bulls in 2018. Advertisement White put a away a header off a corner kick played in by Sebastian Berhalter in the 20th minute and converted from the penalty spot in the 25th to make it 2-2. Rafael Cabral finished with three saves, including a diving stop in the 64th minute to deny White a hat trick and keep the game tied at 2-2. Takaoka stopped four shots for Vancouver. Salt Lake (4-9-2) is winless in five consecutive games, beginning with a 2-1 loss to the Whitecaps on May 3. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I'm sure it's her, reminding me she's still around,' says Sarah, Duchess of York of the late Queen's Corgis
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Queen Elizabeth II was always known for her love of Corgis. The late monarch owned over 30 of the dogs over the years, with Muick and Sandy being the last dogs she had before her death in September 2022. In the aftermath, they were adopted by her son, Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, to enjoy the rest of their life filled with lots of affection and plenty of the best dog treats. Speaking in an address to the Creative Woman Platform in London, the Duchess said that she thinks the Queen talks to her through dogs Muick and Sandy, who live at the Royal Lodge in Windsor with herself and Andrew – and a handful of Norfolk terriers. She said, via The Times, 'I have her dogs, I have her Corgis. Every morning they come in and go, 'woof woof' and all that and I'm sure it's her talking to me. I'm sure it's her, reminding me she's still around.' She then paid tribute to the late Queen, saying, 'Anyway, the real thing is that I had the greatest honor to be her daughter-in-law. That's pretty huge. And when I was driving here, I saw the [London Underground's] Elizabeth line and I said, 'I want everyone to remember what an amazing lady she was.'' Andrew and his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie gave the Queen Muick alongside a Dorgi (Corgi-dachshund mix) Fergus, in 2021. Fergus sadly died from a heart defect when he was five months old, so later that year the trio gave the Queen another Corgi puppy, Sandy. Shortly after the Queen died, a source told the BBC that it was Sarah who found the puppies, and that 'the duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses, and even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting." In 2023, Sarah said that the Corgis were so close to the Queen that Muick had grieved after her death. She told dog trainer and presenter Graeme Hall that it took the dog about a year to come to accept it, with Hall explaining, via The Independent, 'There's a kind of grieving process, and we know that dogs do go through a grieving process as well. We don't fully understand it because we can't chat to them over a cup of coffee, but you certainly see behavior change, sometimes they're very flat.' Meanwhile, the Queen's son King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla have dogs of their own. Between them, they currently have a Jack Russell Terrier, Bluebell, Jack Russell mix Moley – who Camilla adopted earlier this year – and King Charles' new puppy, a Lagotto Romagnolo, Snuff. All The Queen's Corgis | Amazon This fascinating and affectionate look at the Queen and her most faithful companions is a book for dog lovers Deal Want to learn more about these famous canines? Here's everything you need to know about the Royal Family's dogs
