Allison Cafe

It has been awhile since Hayley has shared her thoughts with you, today we have a few words from our favorite puppy:

My human has been on the computer all day. So, with nothing to do I have been helping as best I can, by sleeping on the futon in her office. This is so boring! Oh, wait, she just looked over and said something about a WALK, and do I want a CARROT? Yes, Yes, Yes, Please! Ohhh, I love carrots. They are so crunchy and sweet. She says the vitamin A in them will help my eyes, and that we need to supplement my dog food with veggies every once in a while. Whatever. Just keep them coming mom, delicious!

Tasty and healthy treats, carrots!

A few words about dog nutrition to support Hayley’s great contribution today. Just like with a human diet, a dog’s diet should be comprised of a variety of healthy, age appropriate foods; but all in moderation. It is a great idea to supplement your pet’s diet with raw veggies in small quantities. Carrots are a great substitute for dog chews or other cookies. I usually give Hayley no more than 1 baby carrot per day, usually every other day. She loves them, and the hard texture is great for combating plaque build up on her teeth.

There are some veggies and human food items which are harmful to dogs and should never be shared with them: chocolate, onion, garlic, raisins, grapes, green parts of tomato plants, potato peels, rhubarb leaves, broccoli and pits or stones from many common fruits. When in doubt about introducing any new food item to your pet, especially puppies, always check with your vet.

I cannot say enough positive things about the power of public relations. Getting the word out about charity events in particular, can be difficult. So when the opportunity comes along to share newsworthy information about your event with the community through local media, take every measure you can to be a great interview and a good resource for your local reporters.

Today, the Relay For Life events in Chula Vista and Clairemont were featured on the NBC San Diego morning news show. Speaking in the piece are Toni Royal, Event Chairperson for the Relay For Life of Chula Vista, and myself, Allison Baloglu, Fight Back Chairperson for the Relay For Life of Clairemont. Also seen holding the banner is my husband, Stephen Baloglu, as well as 3 other Relay team members from the Chula Vista event planning committee. It didn’t show up in the online clip below, but we also got another few seconds of coverage as the local NBC morning show wrapped up at 6:57am and we waved good morning to the Today show.

Near misses can happen in a flash

Since I like to feed my inner optimist, I thought I would write about the bad things that almost happen, but don’t. Those don’t get enough attention I think. Some near misses are as simple as you should have broken that glass when it dropped on the hard tile floor, but it didn’t. Some are more dramatic like car accidents that almost happen. But they are all unexplained moments where bad things could happen but they don’t. A few evenings ago, my husband and I had a frightening experience. It prompted me to create a new category today, Near Misses.

We were driving home after dropping off our Vespa at a repair shop in Mission Hills. As we approached a very busy intersection, the light turned to green and we advanced through the light heading straight ahead. All of sudden in a flash of an instant, a car (more…)

Today is a very special day. It is the day that we tell the mothers, grandmothers and godmothers in our lives, how much we love them and appreciate them. So today, I would like to send a very special Happy Mother’s Day message to all the mothers out there. For all that you do, and for all that you give, thank you.

MOTHER’S DAY a poem by Del “Abe” Jones

There were some different beginnings
To what we know as, “Mother’s Day”
One woman, Anna Reeves Jarvis
“Mothers’ Work Day Clubs”, her way.

They focused (more…)

Today our Relay For Life team held a wonderfully successful garage and bake sale. When our team captain asked for volunteers to bake, who do you think raised her hand and volunteered cupcakes? Me of course! I love excuses to make cupcakes, but today’s was extra sweet. One hundred percent of the amount donated today went to our Relay team’s fund raising efforts for the event next weekend.

Of course I wanted to come up with a cute topping. So I used the American Cancer Society’s colors to inspire the toppings. We used red, blue and purple sprinkles. And I placed a gummy Lifesaver candy on top of each cupcake, because that’s what we are fighting back to do, save lives.

Saving lives, one cupcake at a time

I’d like to say a very special “thank you” to everyone who supported our event today with donations. And also to Megan, who helped me bake cupcakes yesterday and whip up some yummy frosting. Click “more” to read the recipe. Enjoy! (more…)

This week’s Ad Pick goes to Sprint’s What’s Happening Now Campaign. Their creative online and television commercials highlight interesting facts about human interaction in today’s world. Mobile communications are not  just about making calls on our cell phones anymore, we have grown into a society of texters, tweeters, internet browsers and more, all on our cell phones.  As one who loves interesting fact finding, I found this commercial really entertaining. It positions Sprint as a company with their finger on the pulse of our technological society.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we decided to make a new favorite; an easy, healthy, weeknight meal: shrimp tacos and homemade guacamole. It also gave me an excuse to make another batch of Sangria Roja. Ok, so this Sangria is not exactly a Mexican recipe, but it seems to go well with tonight’s cuisine!

Homemade Guacamole

Living in Southern California has definitely given us a taste for Mexican food, especially with fresh ingredients like local, ripe avocados. And living near a great fish market, El Pescador, leaves us no excuse for not enjoying fresh, local seafood. Eating local, seasonal and healthy food is not hard, it just takes a willingness to try new things and go with what is fresh. It doesn’t have to be Cinco de Mayo to enjoy this menu, assemble these simple ingredients any week night and turn your Pandora radio to the Mana station, pour a glass of Sangria and sit back and enjoy. Salud!

Simple, Healthy and Delicious

Click “more” to see the recipes and more photos: (more…)

Tobacco and Cancer, Source: The American Cancer Society

Each month we will highlight important information that each one of us can implement in our own lives to help in the fight against cancer. This month I feel compelled to talk about the dangers of tobacco, both for those that smoke and for those who know someone who smokes. Below is just a small excerpt of the information available from the American Cancer Society:

Smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body, is linked to at least 15 different cancers, and accounts for some 30% of all cancer deaths. And it costs billions of dollars each year. Yet one in five Americans still light up. If you or someone you love uses tobacco, here’s what you need to know about how tobacco kills, and how to get the help you need to quit. The American Cancer Society has a wealth information on the topic on their website here.

The 1982 United States Surgeon General’s report stated that”Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality (death) in the United States.” This statement is as true today as it was in 1982 (statistics). Smoking is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. Here are some more eye-opening facts: (more…)

Melanoma Patrol

Recently, I was asked to design a graphic t-shirt for a great cause. It has made me realize how fun t-shirt design can be, and my mind has started flowing with more ideas for Graphics That Give, designs that either give a percentage of the proceeds to, or are created for, charity or community causes. Stay tuned, the Allison Creative wheels are in motion!

For several months now I have been actively involved with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life here in San Diego, CA. So the other day when I was flipping channels and came across their new marketing campaign, I was so excited. And from a marketing perspective, I really like the comprehensive, interactive campaign they have created with TV ads, print, a Facebook application, a website, and more. I love the messaging and emotional appeal of their new brand campaign, which positions them as the “Official Sponsor of Birthdays”. They have launched a website and Facebook application as part of their new campaign. Visit www.morebirthdays.com to register your birthday and check out some other cool stuff while you are there. The campaign was launched by The Martin Agency. The website was crafted by public relations firm Brodeur Partners.