Flag Day
Filed in Uncategorized, June 14, 2013, 9:00 amToday in the United States is Flag Day. It’s celebrated every June 14th. honoring the adoption of the U.S. flag. Although the flag was adopted in 1777, National Flag day was not recognized until 1949. Americans usually celebrate the day with a parade. The yearly parade in Fairfield, Washington is thought to be the oldest in the country. How do you celebrate your countries flag?
Father’s Day
Filed in Uncategorized, June 13, 2013, 10:00 amSunday is Father’s Day here in the U.S. The US celebration of Father’s Day was created to complement Mother’s Day. It’s celebrated on the third Sunday of June in many countries, not just in the U.S.. Sonora Dodd, the daughter of a Civil War veteran, established Father’s Day in the U.S. at the YMCA in 1910.
How do you celebrate your father on Father’s Day? We’re having a sale to celebrate Father’s Day!
Republic Day in Italy
Filed in Uncategorized, May 31, 2013, 1:46 pmSunday is Republic day in Italy! Republic day (“Festa della Repubblica”) is a national Italian holiday celebrating the referendum of 1946 when Italians voted what type of government they wanted after the end of WWII and the demise of fascism. The majority voted for republic over monarchy, so Italy became a republic. This Italian holiday is equivalent to July 4th here in the states or July 14th in France. Italians celebrate with an infamous parade in Rome.
Here’s a recipe from the blog “Lovely Lunch Ladies Recipes in honor of Republic Day; Fresh Mozzarella and Prosciutto Swirls.
1 lb. mozzarella curd *
2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma
Cut mozzarella curd into 1 inch squares. Place in a large bowl with lots of kosher salt atop. Bring a large pot of water to 165 to 170 degrees (use instant read thermometer.) Do not get much hotter. Pour generous amount of water to cover curd and stir for 2 minutes. Discard water. Pour another generous amount of water over curd. Curd will start to come together as you stir, probably for less than 2 minutes. With hands continuously dipped in cold water, shape curd (which is now mozzarella) into a ball. On a flat surface spread the mozzarella out thinly into a sheet and blot it with a paper towel. Put the prosciutto on top in layers or pieces next to each other. Slowly roll the sheet into a roll, being careful to blot the bottom as you roll to eliminate more of the moisture from the mozzarella. Cut into pinwheels and serve immediately.
Our Top 5 Favorite Soundtracks
Filed in Uncategorized, May 22, 2013, 3:01 pmMonday is Memorial Day. It’s the unofficial start of summer here in the US! Picnics in the park, lazy days at the beach, running after the ice cream truck, road trips and summer vacations come to mind. Here are our top 5 favorite sound tracks for wherever summer takes you.
1. Latin Dreamland; perfect for nights under the stars.
2. World Sing-Along; the answer to long car trips.
3. Cowboy Playground; your soundtrack for western adventures.
4. New Orleans Playground; perfect for exploring the south.
5. Sing Along with Putumayo ; for singing towards your latest adventure.
Where are you traveling to this summer?
Buddha’s Birthday
Filed in Uncategorized, May 17, 2013, 9:50 amAmong the many practicing Buddhists in the United States, Buddha’s Birthday (Hana-Matsuri) is celebrated today!
Dating back to 1968 in the California Bay Area, the first circumambulation of Mt. Tamalpais to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday was conducted. The director of the Esalen at Stanford program designed a leaflet and had it distributed to all universities in the Bay Area. Some people brought sleeping bags and slept overnight in Muir Woods to enable an early start up the Dipsea Trail. For the several hundred people invoved, it was a memorable day clear, sunny, calm, and somewhat warm. Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, and Philip Whalen were there. Taught by Gary and Allen, a different mantra was chanted at every station of the clockwise circumambulation. They all stopped for lunch on a sunny hillside. Allen brought miso for lunch, and he passed it around for others to enjoy.
Continuing into the 1970s Hana-Matsuri was celebrated each spring at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. Dressed in formal black robes, the roughly 70 monks and students formed a formal procession to the Horse Pasture with the leader periodically ringing a small, clear bell. A temporary stone altar was built under a huge oak tree in a gorgeous field of green grass and abundant wildflowers; a small statue of a baby Buddha was placed upon it in a metal basin. Then each person would in turn and approach the altar, ladle one thin-lipped bamboo dipperful of sweet green tea over the statue, bow, and walk to one side.
How will you celebrate Buddha’s birthday today? Why not relax with one of our Yoga releases (http://www.putumayo.com/worldyoga and http://www.putumayo.com/content/yoga) or one of our dreamland releases (http://www.putumayo.com/latindreamland, http://www.putumayo.com/instrumental-dreamland-0, )
Happy Parents Day!
Filed in Uncategorized, May 8, 2013, 9:19 amParent’s Day // 어버이 날 in Korea is a combination of both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Even though it is not a nationally recognized holiday, it’s still an important date on the Korean calendar! This tradition came over to Korea in 1956 originally as Mother’s day, but from 1973 the names changed to Parents day to include the Fathers and give them some love as well!
If you are new to Korean customs you will be able to tell Parent’s day is coming by the number of special gifts and displays set up in stores, and you’ll see lots of Carnations! In Korea the symbol and iconic gift for parents day comes in the form of a carnation flower~traditionally it is red, but others are available.
If you have Family in Korea make sure you bring a small gift or flower arrangement, flowers are the standard gift here and the street will be filled with cute baskets! It does not have to be a carnation gift. (They are just the most common) Family outings and dinners are common and these days beauty/spa treatments are given as gifts
Entries