Creative and Colorful Hats Steal the Show at the Royal Ascot Horse Races in England

Extravagant, elaborate and sometimes gravity-defying hats take center stage each summer at Royal Ascot, the 5-day horse racing festival held at Ascot Racecourse in southern England, a venue founded by Queen Anne in 1711. The Royal Ascot is famous for its strict dress code, which famously transforms the Berkshire race grounds into a high-fashion runway. Racegoers — particularly on Ladies’ Day — embrace the opportunity to wear wildly creative headpieces, ranging from towering floral arrangements to sculptural masterpieces. These are the hats that were on display this year.

 

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Japanese Man Visiting the U.S. is Perplexed by Mexican Restaurant Freebies

This story is a funny reminder that what seems ordinary in one country can feel extraordinary in another. An unidentified Japanese man was in the U.S. to enjoy the FIFA World Cup. He and his friends went to a Mexican restaurant, where they were served chips and salsa prior when they were seated. The man stopped the server, “We have not earned these.” The server responded, “They just come with the table, man.” The Japanese man was stunned. In his country, hospitality is a debt. Every gift creates an obligation, weighed carefully, returned at the proper time. In America, the gift arrived before he had even proven he could pay for dinner. To the foreigner, this was not an appetizer…….it was a declaration: “We trust you, eat.” The man obliged and enjoyed the free chips and salsa, but before long the basket was empty. Suddenly, the server brought a fresh basket, assuring the man that the chips and salsa were “bottomless.” The Japanese man had accepted three baskets, even though he had been warned by his friend, “Don’t fill up on chips, dude.” Too late. Honor demanded that the man finish each one; after all, an unfinished gift in Japan is an insult. On social media, the Japanese man explained his dilemma: 

"By the time my actual food arrived, I was a ruined man. I was not hungry. I was not comfortable. I had been defeated by a courtesy. Generosity that arrives before the request cannot be repaid. It can only be survived. I know the rule now. I have made my peace with the basket. One basket. Two at the most. Who am I kidding? There is no number of baskets I would refuse. The trust of a nation is in that salsa, and I intend to honor all of it.”

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Don’t Make This Common Mistake with Ants

We’ve all been there — a tiny ant crawling across the kitchen counter. A little panic, followed by an attempt to remove it unharmed, often ends with a frustrated squish! You think the problem has been solved, but then the masses descend. The common mistake we all make is squashing them. There’s a scientific reason why that’s a bad idea. When you squash an ant, it releases pheromones that signal to members of its colony that they should retrieve its body or mount an attack on a threat. Ants are fastidious, so they keep their nest and trails very clean. Because of this, they don’t let a dead member of the colony remain near one of their pheromone trails. When they get the distress signal via pheromones, worker ants quickly assemble and remove the body. So, what starts as a tangle with a single ant can quickly turn into a full-blown invasion. If you see a single ant in your home and are inclined to save a life, it’s worth removing it from the home and setting it a safe distance away so it can’t immediately re-enter. Humans can’t actually see pheromone trails, but if you see ants in a particular area, wipe down the area with lemon juice or vinegar. That will throw ants off their own trails.

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Gluten-Free Meatballs

A versatile dish that spans many cultures and can be made with beef, turkey, or chicken, meatballs are great as a standalone dish on top of rice or noodles, tucked into a pita, or stuffed into a roll as a sub. The only problem is that if they’re made with lean meat or you overwork the meatballs while shaping them, they can fall apart during cooking — or worse, taste dry instead of moist and juicy. In this recipe, chopped frozen spinach, which is naturally high in moisture, is used to bind the meat. 

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients: 

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

• • 1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• • ¼ pound (about 1 cup) crumbled feta cheese
• • 1 tbsp garlic powder
• • 1 tbsp dried oregano
• • Kosher salt, to taste
• • 1 pound ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken
• • Cooking spray

FOR THE SAUCE:

• • 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• • 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• • Kosher salt, to taste
• • Pinch of cayenne, optional
• • Steamed rice or cooked orzo, for serving

Directions:

• • Preheat oven to 400º F.
• • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• • In a large bowl, place spinach, feta, garlic powder, dried oregano and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and stir well.
• • Add beef and mix well.
• • Divide the mixture into a dozen portions, shaping them into balls. You should get around 16 meatballs.
• • Space the meatballs evenly on the sheet pan and spray with cooking spray.
• • Roast 20-25 minutes, until browned and firm to the touch.
• • Place yogurt in a small bowl and wisk in garlic and dill.
• • Add lemon juice and zest and stir to combine.
• • Season with salt and cayenne to taste.
• • Serve meatballs hot over rice or orzo, with the sauce.
• • Squeeze additional lemon slices over dish.

 

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