Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to July 6th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate rolling out the good stuff and not getting fried over chicken.

Before it was a delicacy, sushi was a staple food in the diets of poor fishermen. In the days before refrigeration, people discovered that they could preserve the fish by packing it in fermented rice. But unlike modern sushi, the rice was not eaten, as it was only meant to keep the fish from spoiling. Eventually, rice vinegar replaced the fermented rice. Since then, sushi has transformed into a delicacy, with many variations. But none has the unique flair of the hand roll. It uses the same ingredients as other rolls but hand rolls are not cut into pieces and they are meant to be eaten as soon as they are served. On National Hand Roll Day, try something new at your favorite sushi place and be sure to say, kanpai!

People are often passionate about their favorite foods, but it’s safe to say, never quite like this. Colonel Sanders was making a name for himself in the early 1930s in Kentucky. He owned a Shell gas station and set up a cafe nearby to serve his now-famous fried chicken to drivers who passed through town. Everyone seemed to love it, except for Matt Stewart, the owner of a Standard Oil gas station in the area. Stewart began painting over advertisements for the restaurant and Sanders went to confront him, which led to a gunfight. All over fried chicken. On National Fried Chicken Day, there’s no need to lose your head over this all American favorite.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to July 5th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate making a splash and plain and simple treats.

You may find it ironic that the guy who made graham crackers plain on purpose also preached against decadent desserts. Reverend Graham imagined the slightly sweetened cracker as a health food with whole wheat graham flour and added bran. The Presbyterian minister developed his cracker as part of the Graham Diet to curb sinful cravings. Little did he know that he had built the very foundation for cheesecakes and s’mores and other wicked good desserts. On National Graham Cracker Day give in to some guilty pleasures or celebrate responsibly with a simple glass of milk.

In July of 1946, the United States tested a nuclear device at the Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific. The military operation caused quite a stir around the world. However, the truly explosive event from that week occurred a few days later when fashion designer Louis Réard debuted his newest creation, named after the tests—the bikini. To say that this two-piece women’s bathing suit caused a stir is a massive understatement. Several U.S. states banned women from wearing bikinis in public. Eventually, the outrage died down and today, you can find bikinis wherever there’s a beach or a pool. On National Bikini Day, chill out by feeling happy in the skin you’re in.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to July 4th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate slow cooking by day and lighting up the night.

While Independence Day is celebrated across the country today, one town holds the record for the longest running parade. Since 1785, Bristol, Rhode Island has boasted this unbroken tradition, with nearly 200,000 attendees from all over the world. The festivities begin on Flag Day or June 14th with soapbox races and outdoor concerts that continue throughout the month of June. This culminates on July 4th with the parade that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. From just about anywhere today you can see spectacular displays of fireworks and attend festivals and parades in your own neighborhood. No matter how you celebrate, Independence Day is a time to cherish freedom and to honor those who sacrificed to build our great Nation.

Fireworks may take center stage tonight, but most of us celebrate with a barbecue. Technically what most of us do is grilling, that is cooking meat over a fire. Barbecue is cooking meat slowly over indirect heat or in a smoker. This tradition started in the American South, where farmers would try to use every bit of meat they could from the pigs they had raised. Some of the meat, such as between the ribs, was pretty tough to eat. But they found that cooking ribs slowly over indirect heat made the meat tender and succulent. The tastiest of these come from the belly, and are called spareribs. Today while we celebrate our Nation’s birthday we also enjoy a food that is uniquely American on National Barbecued Spareribs Day.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to July 3rd, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate having the last laugh and slaying superstition.

Sometimes a wisecrack can pay off big. For Chubby and Bessie Woodman it all started on July 3, 1916 in Essex, Massachusetts. The Woodmans sold groceries, fresh clams and potato chips from a small roadside stand. On this particular day, business was slow and a wise cracking fisherman suggested they fry up some clams. What started as a joke got the Woodmans thinking. Their homemade chips were already good, so they shucked a few clams, tried out different batters and the very next day they enjoyed the last laugh. The fried clams were an instant hit. And six generations later you can still visit Woodman's for this New England favorite. On National Fried Clam Day celebrate a bright idea worth more than a few clams.

The Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who was also known as the father of geometry, was a strict vegetarian. He refused, however, to eat beans, which is the staple of most vegetable-based diets. The reason was based on superstition. He believed that beans, fava beans in particular, contained the souls of the dead. And he was so freaked out by beans that he wouldn’t touch them or walk through a bean field. And this was ultimately his downfall. Legend has it that Pythagoras was fleeing from soldiers when he came across a field of fava bean plants. Rather than run across to escape, he stopped in his tracks and was killed. On National Eat Your Beans Day, don’t be afraid to consume some legumes!

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to July 2nd, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a special sip and doggone good bite.

If you enjoy the taste of licorice, then you’re in for a treat. The anise plant is part of the carrot family and is primarily used in licorice-flavored sweets and baking. But it’s also used to make a popular Mediterranean drink known as anisette. This liqueur is known by different names depending on where you are. In Spain, it’s anís. In France, they have pastis. And the Greeks call it ouzo. Italians call it Sambuca and consider it a digestive aid, which they drink after dinner by adding a few drops to espresso. On National Anisette Day, take a tour of the exotic with a drop or two that makes any meal go down smoother.

If you happen to be in Coney Island, New York this week, be sure to visit Nathans for the International Hot Dog eating contest. You will want to get there early as this event draws a crowd from around the globe. The contestants are announced by an old-time carnival barker as if they are prizefighters. And the champion to beat is Joey Chestnut. This man from Kentucky holds the record for eating 74 hotdogs in just 10 minutes. You still have two days left to train for this event, though you might not like this insider tip. Most winners have to dip them in water first in order to gobble them faster. Why not celebrate National Hot Dog Month one dog at a time, with some good old mustard and onions?

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to July 1st, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate special deliveries come rain or shine.

The United States issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. They were not, however, the first of their kind. In the United Kingdom, the Penny Black stamp attempted to fix a broken system. Before then, mail recipients were good at dodging payment for this service. Here in America, a letter could be mailed without prepayment until 1855. Despite new regulations, people continued to take advantage of a system that charged only 15 cents for an 11-pound package. The strangest of these was a small baby that was delivered to his grandmother who lived a few miles away. Even the stork couldn’t compete with those prices! On National U.S. Postage Stamp Day celebrate a valuable service that still delivers come rain or shine.

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Everyone knows this is the motto for the United States Postal Service. Except…it isn’t. The Postal Service doesn’t actually have a motto. So where did this well-known phrase come from? It was written by Herodotus around 500 BCE to describe the postal carriers of his time. When the New York City Post Office opened in 1914, one of the designers liked the quote and had it engraved into the cornerstone. Today is National Postal Worker Day, when we celebrate the men and women who make sure all our letters and packages find their way to us. Except for the bills. We don’t mind if those get lost.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to June 30th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a show that’s outta this world and a rocket that keeps us cool here on Earth.

The Comet Swift-Tuttle is one of the largest extra-planetary objects in the solar system. Each year, this giant ball of ice and rock gives the people of Earth quite a show. Debris from the comet’s long tail plunges into our atmosphere at 37 miles per second and burns up. This creates spectacular meteor showers known as the Perseids, which are visible from late July through August. On nights when the moon isn’t as bright, sky watchers can see anywhere from 25-100 meteors per hour. But the Perseids aren’t the only show in town. On National Meteor Watch Day, peel yourself away from your phone or TV and look to the skies for some out of this world entertainment.

Doc Abernathy and James Merrit of Kansas City, MO were supposedly on a road trip when they came up with the idea for the bomb pop. It was 1955, during the height of the Cold War, when these two were inspired by a patriotic theme. Today the red, white and blue trio of cherry, lemon and blue raspberry still appeals to the kid in all of us. If you remember scrambling for change at the sound of music from the ice cream truck turning down your street, you'll remember your first bomb pop. Some original popsicle flavors have been retired, but the bomb pop is still the best way to stay cool on any given day in Summer. On National Bomb Pop Day, celebrate staying frosty with this iconic blast from the past.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate

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Welcome to June 29th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate capturing the moment and a breakfast favorite that inspired a shoe.

In 1838, Louis Daguerre set up his camera near the Boulevard du Temple in Paris. Then he took a picture. Today we are used to instant photos. Touch the button on your phone or camera and the picture is taken. But for Daguerre, the exposure time was nearly 10 minutes. This meant that if the subject wasn’t standing perfectly still it wouldn’t appear in the frame. For this reason, the busy Paris streets look abandoned in the photo. Except for one solitary figure in the lower left-hand corner: a man getting his boots shined. And this is the very first image of a human being caught on camera. On National Camera Day, be thankful that technology can now capture the moment.

The waffle iron got its start in the Low Countries of the 14th century. These early metal plates heated over an open flame pressed images such as a coat of arms into batter. Something about all those extra nooks and crannies soaking up melted butter, syrup and jam can turn ordinary pancake batter into a special occasion. And for Nike Co-Founder Bill Bowerman, his wife’s waffle iron inspired a shoe. Bill used the pattern to design a running shoe that would grip the road while remaining lightweight. The “Moon Shoe” and “Waffle Trainer” set Nike apart in the 1970s and they’ve been out in the lead ever since. On National Waffle Iron Day, cook up your own inspiration.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to June 28th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate peace of mind and tall tales.

Just about everyone buys insurance in one form or another, most likely it’s for their cars or homes. But there’s one insurance company that does things a bit differently. Lloyd’s of London offers policies for things most of us wouldn’t even think to insure. For example, Bruce Springsteen insured his voice for $6 million. Keith Richards has his hands insured in case he’s no longer able to play guitar. Both Heidi Klum and David Beckham have insured their legs, though for different reasons. On National Insurance Awareness Day, take the time to review your policies and coverages. Insurance is something you think you’ll never need—until you do.

Paul Bunyan first appeared in print in 1906. But it wasn’t until 1914 that a logging company advertisement made the lumberjack with the red plaid shirt and his blue ox a part of American folklore. These tall tales fueled our imagination with larger-than-life explanations. His ax carved the Grand Canyon as he dragged it behind him. The Great Lakes became watering holes for Babe the big blue ox. Today there are statues of this legendary duo that remind us of the grandeur of our own natural resources. It’s as if Paul Bunyan’s character showed us how to take in the size and splendor of our precious country. On National Paul Bunyan Day, celebrate the tall tales that help us measure the worth of our own neck of the woods.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to June 27th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate staying cool under pressure and looking cool while you’re at it.

On Memorial Day weekend of 1929, Tom Carvel was driving his ice cream truck around when he got a flat tire. He pulled into the parking lot of a local shop and watched helplessly as the ice cream began to melt. Staying cool under pressure, he decided to sell the slightly melted ice cream to passersby. The softer texture was a big hit and he quickly sold out his entire stock. Carvel soon opened a permanent store to sell the new style of ice cream and the name Carvel became synonymous with sort-serve and ice cream cakes. On National Ice Cream Cake Day enjoy this perfect way to have your cake and ice cream and eat them too.

Sure sunglasses are cool, but thanks to the Vision Council, most of us know they’re our first line of defense from harmful UV rays. That doesn’t mean you can’t flaunt your own personal style! If you’re going for “Risky Business chic,” why not try a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers like the ones worn by Tom Cruise? Fashion icon Jackie O. turned heads in her signature oversized glasses that are still popular today. And who doesn’t like the anti glare benefit of a classic pair of Aviator glasses? On National Sunglasses Day, be sure to pick a pair that offers the best protection for your peepers.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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