SAVANNAHS first ever all-vegan restaurant opened March 8. While many restaurants and cafs supply vegan offerings, Natural Selections Caf is 100 percent plant-based.

Owned and operated by St. Thomas native Davida Harris, this vegan caf is already altering stereotypes. Not only has Harris pioneered the vegan food scene, she decided to shake it up a bit by integrating soul food into her vegan menu.

Southern flairthat was the whole point, Harris explained. Savannah is heavy on tourism and tourists come here to eat southern food. I wanted to make sure that folks could have the Savannah experience while they were eating here.

With a Ph.D. in Sociology, Harris spent 10 years as a college professor at Savannah State University. Although she had been vegetarian for several years, Harris began researching natural ways to help her body heal after developing heath issues.

This, coupled with a few persuasive documentaries on veganism, caused Harris to throw away thousands of dollars worth of food and become a devoted vegan.

As someone who appreciates food, Harris wanted to continue eating food, while finding a way to make it healthier.

Three years ago, Harris established her own catering business called Natural Selections in Savannah. Last summer, she catered an event for 450 guests, preparing vegan fare in her small kitchen.

After that, I promised myself that I would never cook like that in my kitchen again.

This event prodded Harris to look for a commercial catering space that did not process or prepare meat. To no avail, she settled on her current space at 1526 Bull St., a few doors down from Henny Penny Art Space & Caf.

There seems to be a common theme among caterers that purchase their own kitchen: a front of the house eatery.

Harris followed suit and introduced Savannah to Natural Selections Caf and Catering. The front of the house is going better than I ever thought.

This is a completely plant-based restaurant. No meat. I want nothing to do with meat.

Any product that you have had on the meat side, I can duplicate that with plant-based food.

While this caf resides in a neighborhood among SCAD students, Harris reveals that her most prevalent clientele are middle-aged folks.

Even more, people are coming as far as Bluffton and Hilton Head to graze on the cafs plant-based cuisine.

As far as the food is concerned, Harris boasts, I make everything fresh and from scratch. Southern classics like mac and cheese, collard greens and grits are prepared with high-quality ingredients that satisfy both meat-eaters and plant-eaters alike.

Top-of-the-line vegan products are utilized when fresh fruits, veggies and nuts cannot imitate the textures necessary for certain dishes.

For example, omelets and breakfast wraps are made with Veganegg, a 100% plant-based egg replacer that not only looks like eggs, but fluffs up like them as well.

A comforting Grilled Cheeze sandwich gets it stringy nostalgia from a mixture of Daiya cheeses. This is a product that is dairy, gluten and soy free, offering an assortment of cheeses that are shredded, sliced and blocked.

Hearty sandwiches with facon (fake bacon) and faux sausage get their meaty consistency from seitan, a product made from wheat-gluten. Given that it mocks the texture of meat and is high in protein, seitan has become a popular substitution for tofu.

A special featuring the Not Steak Philly Cheeze, incorporated peppery seitan sausage, sauted onions and peppers and an ooey-gooey cheese sauce, all on a soft wheat roll. One bite and the sausage crumbled in my mouth, bursting with familiar flavors.

The vegan-cheese sauce was made from soaking almonds and cashews in water. The nuts were then blended with almond milk, nutritional yeast and liquid smoke, producing a thick velvety white sauce that emulated melted cheese in the best of ways.

Another crowd pleaser that contains seitan is the Not Chicken Salad Sandwich. This refreshing summer favorite could fool even the biggest cynics, with its creamy combination of seitan, Veganaise, mustard, green onion, celery and red pepper. This mixture is topped with spinach and tomato, all served on Naan bread.

While certain pre-packaged vegan products are helpful in imitating a certain mouth feel, Harris shows innovation with other menu items that stand out as favorites among her patrons. Take the Crabbie Cake Sandwich, which, as you guessed, does not have any traces of crab.

Harris utilizes hearts of palm to replicate the flaky texture of crab. The moist patty is seasoned with gluten-free panko, peppers, onion, celery and Old Bay, utilizing flavors traditionally found in this seafood staple.

Lets not forget the Mac & Cheeze. Harris makes it fresh every single day, but sells out of it as quickly as she can whip it up. We all know what macaroni and cheese should taste like.

After a forkful, all I could think was, Come on, are you sure this is vegan? It was that good.

Anyone can buy store-bought vegan products and plant-based ingredients. Nevertheless, Harris excels at combining these ingredients into inspiring and delectable meals.

Her personal investment into veganism transcends every dish, destroying antiquated perceptions about vegan fare. Harris has succeeded in bringing good-for-you soul food to Savannah.

cs

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Natural Selections Caf offers vegan twists on Southern classics - Connect Savannah.com

Heres something we thought that we would never see happen: McDonalds has released a vegan burger in yet another country. Joining a list of nations like South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, youll be able to grab a bite of McDonalds vegan-friendly burger if you happen to be in Norway. When it comes to fast food, there are chains that have put forth the effort to reach out to their vegan, vegetarian, and flexitariancustomers. Taco Bell is one of the best examples of this. Not only does the Tex-Mex chain make it easier than ever to order a plant-based meal via their mobile app, where you can add or remove ingredientsat will, they even have an online guide that details popular substitutions. If youre craving a burger, you can go to White Castle, which just added a second vegan burgeroption to their menu.

Dubbed the Veggie McSpice, the fast food giants newest addition to their locations across Norway is composed of red kidney beans and a blend of vegetables such as carrots, green peppers, and onion. It comes with cheese, but if you order it without cheese, then youll be able to do something that most peoplein the U.S.cant do: order a vegan meal at McDonalds. Of course, if youre avoiding all animal products, then youll want to skip the fries. Unfortunately, McDonalds fries contain natural beef flavors, an ingredient that is made from wheat and milk derivatives. Dont worry, though you can pick up an order of vegan fries to-go at Wendys.

Finally, it seems like McDonalds is getting with the times and realizing that their non-meat-eating customers arent happy with just a basic salad, apple slices from the kids menu, and a giant soda or that veggie burgers, in general, have been attracting consumers who are not necessarily vegan or vegetarian.

According to the 2017 Protein Alternatives Report by global market research firm Mintel, Millennials are especially open to meat alternatives; 64 percent have tried meatless burgers. Meanwhile, only one in five Millennials has tried a Big Mac.

Whether one is gravitating towards meatless options due to diet, environmental concerns, health, or animal welfare concerns, veggie burgers are no longer a fringe trend. If even McDonalds gets it, then thats truly a sign of the time and hopefully, the Veggie McSpice will make its way to the U.S. After all, with the widespread availability of a chain like McDonalds, their kidney bean-based patty could be the only affordable vegan option available to some consumers.

Theres no doubt that this is fantastic news but if you love to cook, check out the Food Monster App, which is available for bothAndroid and iPhone. With over 8,000 vegan recipes (and over 10 new recipes added daily), youre going to find something you love!

Image source: McDonalds Norway

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McDonald's Debuts a Vegan Burger in Norway Now What About ... - One Green Planet

At an unspecified number of schools come August, the Los Angeles Unified School District will pilot a vegan meal program, according to LAUSD Board President Steve Zimmer.

Zimmer told KPCC he will direct the school board on Tuesday to develop a plan for expanding students vegan lunch options.

We have had a demand and when we get a demand like this from our community, we institute a pilot to find out is this something that we really could implement district wide, he said.

Zimmer, a vegetarian himself, said students deserve access to foods that form lasting healthy habits.

According to his proposal, the World Health Organization, Harvard Medical School, the Physicians Committee and several other national and international health-committees have determined consuming meat and dairy increases the risk for cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

In contrast, plant-based diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and beneficial for the prevention of heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes, Zimmer said.

When LAUSD banned antibiotics and hormones in poultry several years ago, the rest of the county soon followed, according to Zimmer.

This fall's vegan lunch program will not be more expensive to students, he added.

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LA schools to serve up vegan lunch program this fall - 89.3 KPCC

Hold back from running to your closest mirror or poking at your jowls; this is just another anti-vegan piece of propaganda to laugh off.

The Standard is up to their old ways, and have helped a spa called the Face Gym sling new derogatory claims about the impact veganism has on all those who dare try it. Apparently, protein deficiencies shouldnt only have us fearing being scrawny or dead, it leads to a lacklustre face that is dry, sallow and flaky. Forget the justice for animals or the health of our internal organs, giving up animal products is just signing up for a saggy face.

So were presented with two ways to avoid being called vegan face; either ingest a rack of ribs as soon as possible, or go in for a treatment. Founder of the Face Gym, Inge Theron, promises shes a huge advocate of the vegan movement, but obviously is a much bigger advocate for collagen, elastin, and the taught youthfulness our patriarchal society deems attractive.

Theron, in her infinite wisdom on vegan health, recommends vegan takesupplementing seriously and hopes we ignore her overuse of the word bespoke. And in case youre planning on taking her up on her ridiculous treatment, The Vegan Face facial combines radio frequency treatment, exfoliants, a deep cleanse, a massage, and some unwarranted and incorrect nutrition counselling to make sure you maintain your face for years to come.

Perhaps its not all for naught, because the amount of laughing Ive done to get through this article surely counts for a free workout not only to my glowing vegan face, but to my vegan abdominals. Maybe The Standard and the Face Gym should put down the weights for a moment and pick up a book,so they can learn that theres more than enough protein in the world without the need for exploiting animals. Vegans have nothing to worry about when it comes to their looks, or this latest chapter in the anti-vegan agenda.

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Vegans, you don't have to worry about contracting vegan face - Ecorazzi

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A Truro businessman has come up with a vegan and gluten-free version of a cream tea. And here is how you can get one.

Pura Pressed, which is based in The Old Bakery in Malpas Road, Truro, has come up with a novel twist on our local delicacy which is sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and palm oil-free.

Graeme Holland, who runs the business with his partner Charlotte Waistell, explained that he came up with the idea of the Raw Cornish Cream Tea as a way of making sure vegans weren't excluded from the joys of the cream tea.

There's no denying the end product looks a lot different than the traditional cream tea, but it is bursting with flavour and is a healthier alternative to the fattening clotted cream variety.

Read more: Cranbrook's first pub has just opened - and we took a tour inside

The scone is made from gluten-free oats, macadamia nuts, chia seeds and nut milk. Rather than being baked, the dough is dehydrated for eight hours so that none of the nutrients are lost.

The jam is made from Cornish strawberries and chia seeds a teaspoon of the seeds provides more calcium than a glass of milk while the clotted cream is replaced by gluten and dairy free coconut cream.

You can buy the vegan cream tea from Pura Pressed's stall at Truro Farmers' Market on Lemon Quay on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 3.30pm.

Read more: Cloud eggs are the latest breakfast craze - here is what they are and how to make them

Graeme and Charlotte currently make vegan cakes, desserts, salads and will soon be delivering wraps too. It is also Cornwall's only cold pressed juice business; all of its juices are unpasteurised.

Veganism is on the rise with the recent Cornwall Vegan Festival at Mount Pleasant Eco Park attracting about 1,500 people and selling out of all of its food within three hours.

Graeme said: "We're noticing that a lot of people are making the move to vegan food. We offer a plant-based alternative that is based around health and well-being which is also bursting with flavour and is authentically Cornish."

This story was first published on Cornwall Live.

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Is this the world's first vegan and gluten free cream tea? - Devon Live

The Herbalist, at Merchants

Its easy to feel bad for vegans, a population born to punchline maybe half of all service-industry jokes. (The other half of behind-the-scenes quips about high-maintenance guests are of course reserved for gluten-free diners.) Disdain toward this group has cooled somewhat in recent years, but it seems unlikely ever to fade entirely from this bone-crunching barbecue town.

Even cocktails arent without complication for those who eschew animal products. Theres no need to ask for a meatless margarita, but that splash of Worcestershire sauce in a house Bloody Mary mix renders the brunch staple an anchovy-containing moral hazard. Meanwhile, White Russians, Brandy Alexanders and eggnog contain dairy, off-limits to vegans.

Still, the recent craft-cocktail surge has led bartenders to deeper experimentation, to the benefit of certain dietary exiles. Agave nectar can stand in for honey, almond or coconut milk can solve for that White Russian in a pinch, and aquafaba is having a star moment.

Leading this milkless frontier around here are three bartenders I visited with recently.

Zac Snyder, Westside Local

Its not that the bar at Westside Local is hard to find its that you might just miss it on your way from the dining room to the patio. Theres only a few feet of wood enough room for perhaps four people to get very cozy with one another. The lack of space (and a proper dishwasher) is in part what led bar manager Zac Snyder to search for an alternative to egg whites. He found it in aquafaba.

Aquafaba is garbanzo-bean brine, he says. Its literally just the liquid inside of a garbanzo-bean can, but it does contain some protein and soluble plant solids, and it works exactly like an egg white, which can give a cocktail a light, foamy texture.

Aquafabas applicable properties were discovered in France in 2014, when it gained popularity as a substitute for egg whites in meringues; then it crossed the Atlantic and crept onto bar menus. Today, you can find it at Westside Local in Snyders version of the Port Light, a tiki classic. Though the 1960s recipe calls for whiskey, Snyder favors brandy to complement his passion fruittamarind syrup and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Making the drink is an involved process because its treated exactly like an egg-white cocktail, he says. We combine everything, wet shake it with ice and then dry shake without ice to fluff the cocktail and really build that foam.

Snyders Port Light works like a tropical brandy sour, one with some curves. The passion fruittamarind syrup tiptoes between sweet and sour to play against the smooth, creamy aquafaba layer. Its a glass of island life to sate landlocked folks and, yes, vegans.

The Local has always been very respective of dietary restrictions, Snyder says, and I try to maintain the idea of being sensitive to those needs at the bar. But honestly, finding creative solutions to cocktails for those diets makes for a great challenge.

The Westside Local, 1663 Summit, 816-997-9089, thewestsidelocal.com

Maurice Cox, Merchants Pub & Plate

Theres only one designated vegan cocktail on the menu at Merchants Pub & Plate in Lawrence, but its the only one youll need. The Herbalist made with tequila, herb oxymel and aquafaba foam is the brainchild of bartender Maurice Cox, with an assist from chef Emily Peterson.

Emily introduced aquafaba to me, he says, and she suggested a flip cocktail, which I thought gave us a great opportunity to show off another cool bar ingredient weve been working on, which is our herb oxymel.

Oxymel a mixture of vinegar and honey is a traditional folk medicine with a few hundred years worth of history and a new life in craft cocktails. Thick and syrupy, its most similar to a shrub.

The thing that makes an oxymel an oxymel is that it has a vinegar component, an herbal component and honey, Cox says. Its more viscous and more textured. Oxymels can be floral and spicy or woody and earthy it just depends on the herbs you use. In our herbal oxymel, we have sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, some vegan clover honey and an apple cider vinegar.

For the Herbalist, Cox dry shakes the aquafaba and the oxymel, then introduces tequila with ice, shakes again and strains the butter-yellow liquid into a coupe glass. Theres a lot of complexity in these 4 fluid ounces. Tequila is an unconventional spirit for a flip cocktail, but here it fuses a strong backbone to Coxs herb-garden oxymel. You taste no compromise.

Its important that were able to create a really special experience for everyone including people with dietary restrictions, Cox says. They can immerse themselves in the experience of a craft drink with everyone else and not have their dietary needs be an obstacle. I think were going to see a lot more of that mentality: Its not about making exceptions for certain guests; its just thinking outside the box in terms of recipe development, which is part of the job.

Merchants Pub & Plate, 746 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, 785-843-4111, merchantsonmass.com

Katy Wade had to go to Thailand to understand the Moscow mule.

Katy Wade, Voltaire

Voltaires Katy Wade didnt set out to create a vegan cocktail. You might say the cocktail found her.

I was in Thailand last summer, and every mom-and-pop eatery would serve you ice water in these tin mugs like Moscow mule mugs, she says. I finally understood why people love Moscow mules so much, because theyre so cold and refreshing. And that inspired me to put something that reminded me of Thailand into those mugs when I got back.

Aside from sharing the same copper mug, Wades Mai Thai Coffee has nothing in common with a Moscow mule. She combines Auchentoshan American Oaked Scotch, J. Rieger Caffe Amaro, house-made coffee syrup, spicy chili tincture and coconut milk for a liquid experience that might confound even the most experienced drinker, vegan or not.

Coconut milk is a great product, and a little underutilized in the bar realm, Wade says. Its something our kitchen is always going to have around, and it stays on the shelf longer than cream.

At Voltaire, the Mai Thai Coffee often pulls double duty. The vigorous shake that Wade gives it causes a frothy, frapp effect, so her vegan cocktail can also serve as a gluten-free, dairy-free dessert.

I think vegan cocktails are picking up because bartenders view them as kind of a cool challenge, and we all like challenges its a cool thing to be able to master, Wade says. But more important, I think its nice that more people are being conscious of various dietary needs. The last thing we want to do is isolate someone.

Voltaire, 1617 Genessee, 816-472-1200, voltairekc.com

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Going vegan by the glass at Voltaire, Merchants and Westside Local - Pitch Weekly

Welcome, to Midnight Mania! Tonight, weve got an old-school style vs. style clash in China -- traditional martial arts against MMA, knockouts from the weekend, one kid taking out five attackers, and much more.

It appears history is happening all over again in China. Via BloodyElbow.com, comes the unfolding story of Tai Chi (and other traditional Chinese martial arts) against the raw aggression and modern skill-set of MMA. Weve seen this story before.

This MMA fighter, Xu Xiaodong, had been talking all kinds of trash on the internet, claiming traditional martial arts were phony and fake. When the moment of truth came, he delivered on that thesis, brutally knocking out the Tai Chi master and then returning to social media site Weibo to talk more trash.

What makes this event extraordinary is the reaction Xu is garnering. He has been challenged by several traditional martial artists, despite the official stance of the Chinese Wushu association. Via Bloody Elbow:

Straits Times reports that He Xi Rui, head of the Wudang Tai Chi sect, was one of the first to respond to Xus challenge. Using Weibo Xu wrote, You are welcome to visit the Wudang Mountains to witness real martial arts.

Lu Xing, another Tai Chi master - this time from the Pushing Hands school in Sichuan Province - also accepted the challenge. Lu told Chengdu Business News that hell likely beat Xu thanks to his iron fist which took more than twenty years to develop.

Yi Long, who has been marketed as Chinas strongest Shaolin monk also took to Weibo to accept Xus challenge. A fight with Xu would be familiar territory for Yi, who has previously tested his Kung Fu style boxing against western and Thai-style fighters.

Yi Long in action:

Will the upstart MMA fighter Xu get the better of these respected martial artists? A lot rides on it. Not only did Xu himself offer 1.2 million yuan, about $174,000, to the person who can beat him, but an entrepreneur, Chen Sheng, has added his own money to the pile: 10 million yuan to the person who can beat Xu. This has all the makings of another Ip Man movie.

Derrick Lewis posted this insane video of a kid beating up five attackers using what looks like a deep well of Muay Thai training.

A post shared by Derrick Lewis (@thebeastufc) on May 8, 2017 at 2:12pm PDT

The weird animations are back.

Thats called shade, kids.

Nate Diaz and Dave Chappelle are the most random duo ever ... then again, the Diaz brothers are mixing it up with all the cool people nowadays.

How did they do this?

Conor McGregors girlfriend Dee Devlin had a baby and the little guy already has thousands of followers on his Instagram account.

Camacho Hell Boy is probably one of the toughest guys ever ! Illegal shots all kind of punches can't destroy him ! (FavelaKombat24) pic.twitter.com/zgCZCSJqfb

Stay woke, Maniacs!

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Midnight Mania! MMA fighter wrecks traditional Tai Chi master in ... - MMAmania.com

18:00 Tuesday 09 May 2017

The first Shefford Tai Chi Festival was declared a success as it was held mark an important date in the calendar.

The last Saturday in April is designated by the World Health Organisation as World Tai Chi and Chi Kung Day, and this year the festival of Tai Chi and related arts was held at the Community Hall.

Ian Deavin, who runs Shefford Tai Chi, said: It was brilliant. As a first event we set our sights high but our expectations low - both were exceeded and we lost count of the number of visitors and were totally impressed by the enthusiasm of the demonstrations.

For those who dropped in on spec the atmosphere was warm and friendly with a multi-generation make up - so much a community event.

Tai Chi demos took the form of a short beginners class with lots of people joining in and some demonstrations. This was the sort of class that beginners can expect at classes in the afternoon on Mondays and Sunday evenings at the Community Hall.

Among a host of other demonstrations was Les Hummel with a taster class of yoga, David Sheppard with massage tasters, Wing Chun students under the direction of Master William Wong and Shash Gajjar with a pilates class.

Other Tai Chi classes were held and the Community Hall Taekwondo group, led by their fourth degree instructor Tom Delve, showed a high energy level with a routine that culminated in a brick breaking demo!

Judy Hammond took over with a class on Alexander Technique where she worked with individuals on their posture and then Ian gave a fast demo of the Chen style Broadsword form which was enjoyed by all.

Visitors watched Thai kickboxing by Master Miggy Marcantonio and a brilliant class of enthusiastic young students doing a 30-minute routine.

The final event was another Tai Chi class to finish off a very successful day.

Ian said: Many thanks to all who gave up their time to demonstrate and take classes - and of course to all our visitors.

Thank you to everybody who donated to charity for their tea/coffee and cakes - we collected over 73 which will be split between the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and a local charity for the homeless.

Visit http://www.sheffordtaichi.org

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First Tai Chi festival draws the visitors - Biggleswade Today

The Howell Republican Club meets on the third Monday of the month. The next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 15 at the Howell First Aid Squad building, 16 Kent Road, Howell. Individuals who would like to join the Republican Club and/or attend a meeting are asked to contact club President Thomas Russo at thomasrussonj@gmail.com

Professional and Business Social Network sponsors a dance party and social from 8 p.m. to midnight May 13 at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, Plainsboro. Salsa dance lesson at 6:45 p.m. Singles and couples; all are welcome. Membership not required. Admission: $15 to $20. Cash bar. Dressy seasonal attire, jacket and tie optional. Details: 610-348-5544 or http://www.PBSNinfo.com

On May 17 at the Jackson Library, attorney Carl Archer will discuss benefits to which veterans are entitled and how those benefits may be obtained. The program is for adults and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400 and press option 4.

The Jackson Library will host a workshop presented by a representative of Ocean County SCORE at 6:30 p.m. May 24. The workshop is designed to educate entrepreneurs and help small businesses start, grow and succeed. The counselor will discuss how a business owner can make the most of email and social media. The program is for adults and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400 and press option 4.

Individuals looking for a job are invited to the Jackson Library, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson, from 10 a.m. to noon May 22 for a hands-on tour of the New Jersey Career Connections website. Personal budgeting, filing for unemployment, drafting cover letters and resumes, completing online applications and interviewing will be discussed. Registration is required. To register, call 732-928-4400.

The Monmouth County Park System is seeking vendors for its Eco-Elephant Family Flea Market to be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 17 at the Dorbrook Recreation Area, Route 537, Colts Neck. Individuals, businesses, nonprofits and crafters are welcome. Vendors must provide their own table and merchandise. Cost: $30 per space. Reserve a space at http://www.MonmouthCountyParks.com. Details: Al Weaver, 732-542-1642, ext. 31.

A program on the Art of Meditation for Beginners will be held at the Jackson Library from 10-11:30 a.m. June 6. The program is for adults. Participants will learn about different techniques of meditation that may work best for them. Program led by Shazia Zaman. Wear comfortable clothes. No experience required. The program is free and walk-ins are welcome. Details: 732-928-4400.

The film Under One Sky: Arab Women in North America Talk About the Hijab will be shown at the Jackson Library at 7 p.m. June 12. The film is for adults. Arab women living in North America explain the ideologies behind the hijab (veil). Followed by Q&A with Mariam Jalabi, director, Syrian National Coalition, United Nations. The program is free and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400.

The Jackson Library will host the seventh annual Verity Academy Piano Recital from 2-4 p.m. June 17. Classical music will be performed by students of the Verity Academy. All ages welcome. Registration required. To register, call 732-928-4400 and press option 4.

The Jim Hall Memorial Homeless Vets Motorcycle Run and BBQ/Picnic will be held at noon June 24 at Jackson Elks Lodge No. 2744, 1059 East Veterans Highway, Jackson. Tickets are $25. Registration for the ride starts at 9 a.m. and the ride kicks off at 10 a.m. Food, beverages, entertainment by the Mangos and vendors. Proceeds of the day benefit homeless veterans. Details: joelamo90@gmail.com

The Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club in Howell will hold its first Casino Night and Gift Auction fundraiser on May 20 at the Girl Scouts Activity Center, 127 Yellowbrook Road, Howell. Doors will open 6:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club. The event will feature food, drinks and prizes. Pre-sale tickets are $40. Tickets are limited and will be $45 at the door if available. For tickets or more information, contact events@pinelanders.com

The McKaig Test Mullen American Legion, 2 Meadowbrook Lane, New Egypt, will host an afternoon Bingo on May 21. The event will support veterans. Doors open at 1 p.m. Games start at 3 p.m. There will be more than $3,000 in prizes. Admission is $40 per person. Food will be available. Details: 609-758-8131.

Singer Bob Kulik of the 1950s and 1960s group the Happenings, will perform at Congregation Ahavat Olam, 106 Windeler Road, Howell, at 3:30 p.m. May 21. A Chinese buffet will follow the show. Dinner and show, $25; Children 12 and under, $15; Show only, $18; Children 12 and under $10. RSVP by May 15. Reservations not needed for show only, but are appreciated. Details: 732-719-3500.

The Jackson Library will host a Red Cross blood drive from 2-7 p.m. July 31. Anyone who is at least 17 years old, weighs a minimum of 110 pounds and is in generally good health can donate blood. All blood types are needed. Donors should bring a photo ID. Visit http://www.redcross.org to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome.

Look for turtles, egrets, herons, ospreys and other wildlife during a boat tour of the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. Each 45-minute tour leaves from the Visitor Center, Windeler Road, Howell. Tours are offered at the top of the hour from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, May 6 through Sept. 4. Wednesday tours are offered at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. from July 5 through Aug. 30. Evening tours are offered on the first Friday of each month May through September; call 732-751-9453 as times vary for the evening tours. All tours are weather and water level dependent. The fee is $6 per adult and $4 per child age 12 and under.

The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey will host a dinner meeting on May 11 at 7 p.m. at Mamma Mia Focacceria, 345 Route 9 South, Manalapan. The guest speaker will be portrait, sports and wildlife artist James Fiorentino. BYOB. All are invited. The cost is $35 per person for society members and $45 for non-members. Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Anthony Grassi at 917-743-3311 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465.

The annual Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair will be held on May 13 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Route 33, Manalapan, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Five centuries of New Jerseys history will be represented by exhibitors and re-enactors. Activities include 19th century baseball, plowing demonstrations, period music, and historical figures from New Jerseys past. Free admission/suggested $10 parking donation. Details: http://www.njhistoryfair.org

The Jackson Library will host meditation practitioner Shazia Zaman sharing tips and techniques about visualizing during meditation. The program will take place at 11 a.m. May 16. This is an intermediate level class. Comfortable clothes recommended. Pre-requisite: Some meditation experience required. Limited seating. The program is free. To register, call 732-928-4400.

A coloring for adults program will be held at the Jackson Library from 10-11:30 a.m. June 20. Rediscover the joys of coloring. Coloring sheets and art supplies provided along with light refreshment and relaxing music. Adults 18 and over. Seating limited. Registration required. Registration is open now. Details: 732-928-4400.

Adults 18 and over can create their own rainbow clay necklace at 2 p.m. June 22 at the Jackson Library. Supplies provided. Seating is limited. Registration required. Registration opens June 9. Details: 732-928-4400.

The Jackson Library will host an Adventure in Art workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 10. The workshop includes hands-on instruction by artist Nancy Bonta Voitko. Adults 18 and over. Seating limited. Registration required. Registration opens May 8. Details: 732-928-4400.

New Egypt Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20. Activities for children will include face painting, pony rides, inflatables, petting zoo and a tractor-pulled wagon. Food, music by Jakes Rockin Country Band and vendors. Festivities will take place on Main Street and Evergreen Road. Admission is free. A $6 per child wristband is required for unlimited access to childrens activities listed above. For more information or to request a vendor application, contact Peter Ylvisaker at 609-758-2241, ext. 132, or email pylvisaker@plumsted.org

The Upper Freehold-Allentown Municipal Alliance will host Bike Night 2017 on June 7. All makes and models of bikes are welcome. American and metric bikes will be present. A car show will be held on June 28. All makes and models of cars are welcome. Both events will be held from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Roost at the Cream Ridge Golf Course, 181 Route 539, Upper Freehold Township. Door prizes, judging, awards, music, food and beverages. Vendor opportunities are available. There is no entry fee, but donations for the alliance are accepted. Details:609-758-7738, ext. 230.

The Jackson Librarys knitting group, Knit-Chat-Chain, is seeking donations of yarn and wool. The members of the group create sweaters, hats, scarves and blankets to donate to charity. Yarn donations may be brought to the Circulation Desk during library hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 732-928-4400.

New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.

St. Aloysius Church, 935 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson, offers support groups to help people better understand their feelings and to meet others who are dealing with the same life issues. A bereavement support group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. and a divorced and separated support group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Both meetings are held in the parish office. A freewill donation of $5 is requested. Details: Email St AloysiusGonzagaGroup@gmail.com.

Items for the Datebook may be sent to gmntnews@newspapermediagroup.com. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.

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Tri-Town News Datebook, May 11 - centraljersey.com

By Shaelynn Miller, FamilyShare

If you find yourself feeling groggy in the morning, its time to change your sleeping habits. Recent studies show the things you do before bed could be costing you precious sleep.

Adults ages 18 and up need at least seven hours of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. If you arent getting enough shut-eye, change these six habits so you can have a good nights rest:

1. Watching television in bed

Tip: use your bed for sleep and intimacy only

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their sleep schedule is using their bed for too many things, Gary Zammit, Ph.D., said. Some people use their bed as an office or entertainment room until its time to fall asleep; then they expect their body to be ready for sleep at the flip of their light switch. But the brain doesnt work that way, Zammit points out.

If you cant resist turning on the television or reaching for your phone while in bed, remove the temptation. Set up the television in your living room, keep your laptop on a desk or bookshelf and use a real alarm clock instead of relying on your phone. Use your bed only for sleep and intimacy so your brain doesn't confuse bedtime with answering emails and social media scrolling.

2. Grabbing a late afternoon pick-me-up

Tip: avoid caffeine after lunch

Sometimes your afternoon pick-me-up could be interfering with your sleep. Caffeine stays in your body for three to five hours, and could stay as long as 12. Grab a caffeinated soda or a coffee a little earlier in the day, but try to avoid it after lunch. A good nights sleep could should give you enough energy to get through the afternoon without a caffeine break.

3. Sleeping in on the weekend

Tip: set your alarms every day

As annoying as it might be to wake up early on your days off, it will pay off when Monday morning rolls around. Consistency is the key to a good nights sleep, according to Travis Bradberry, Ph.D.

Have you ever noticed you sometimes wake up right before your alarm rings? Thats because your body has prepared itself by increasing your hormone levels and blood pressure, Bradberry said. A consistent sleep schedule helps your body know when to prepare for waking up, but an inconsistent schedule confuses that natural rhythm.

4. Thinking about tomorrows to-do list

Tip: set a routine

Anxiety and stress are common culprits that keep you from falling asleep. Help your body wind down by setting a routine. Try reading a book or listening to relaxing music each night before tucking in.

5. Feeling uncomfortable

Tip: use a night-light

It goes without saying that you need to be comfortable to fall asleep. To do just that, find a mattress you like, wear something soft, set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature and turn on a night-light or music if needed.

6. Waking up in the middle of the night

Tip: talk to a therapist

If youre having consistent trouble falling and staying asleep, talk to your doctor or therapist for help. Sleep disorders can be caused by anxiety, depression and big life changes. A therapist can help you determine the root of the problem and offer solutions so you can get a good nights rest.

Find what works best for you as you try out different bedtime routines and sleeping habits. Get the amount of sleep you need so you can feel well-rested and conquer the day ahead of you.

Shaelynn Miller is a journalist who has a passion for photography, video production and writing.

Contact her at smiller@deseretdigital.com.

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These 6 things are why you're tired all the time, according to science - WRAL.com