Congratulations to Shany, winner of the Enstrom’s toffee contest! It was a tough call, and thank you to everyone who commented. Shany’s comment combined a family feel, unique foods, and warm tradition.

Runner up was Ken, who just made it under the deadline (since I did not designate whether 5 PM was East coast or West coast time). Ken is obviously already a fan of Enstrom’s, and I wanted to give Shany the chance to experience the buttery crunchy goodness herself.

Congratulations and thanks again to Enstrom’s for providing the giveaway! Remember Enstrom’s for the holidays! Follow them on Twitter and Facebook too.

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If you love toffee, then look no further than Enstrom’s. My mouth waters at the very thought.

Enstrom’s is a family-owned and operated Colorado based toffee company that has been making toffee treats for three generations. How did I become so hooked?

My mom’s family is from Colorado, and every year since I was little, my grandma sent my family a box of this addictive toffee. I like it so much that I often send it to friends as well for gifts. I look forward to the traditional brown and gold box each year, and want to spread the word about how good it is.

What makes Enstrom’s so great? Taste, texture, everything! It has a crunchy bite and a buttery melt-in-your-mouth goodness to it. There are whole almonds nestled in between rich toffee, smothered in milk or dark chocolate and finished with a fine dusting of ground almonds. 

It’s good cold or at room temperature (you can store it in the fridge for freezer, and can be thawed and re-frozen with no damage to the candy). I think part of the reason I love it so much is because it doesn’t interfere with my nut allergies. I can enjoy without the worry!

But Enstrom’s does more than just toffee. They have gourmet chocolates, chocolatey-nutty popcorn, seasonal chocolate peppermint bark and more.

Enstrom’s is currently engaged in a social media campaign. You can find the company on Twitter and Facebook, engaging with their fans and offering information on recipes, promotions, and more.  Not only that, but Enstrom’s is a certified Kosher candy, and they recently launched a blog called Kosher Gift Giving, which gives great gift ideas for year-round giving.

COMMENT TO WIN a 1 LB. BOX OF ENSTROM’S FAMOUS ALMOND TOFFEE

Leave a comment detailing what your family (food) tradition is. Whether it’s sweet, savory, salty, crunchy, or none of the above, I want to know what food means "holidays" to you. Make sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact the winner for their mailing address. A 1 lb. box of Enstrom’s will be sent directly to you, just in time for the holidays! Contest ends on Monday, December 1 at 5 PM.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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It’s Thanksgiving weekend, and if you’re not too full, then it’s the opportune time to take advantage of some killer sales and wicked parties.

SHOP TO IT (SHOPPING AND INDULGENCES)

Black Friday is tomorrow, and more than ever stores are seeking to draw consumers in with huge discounts, online and offline. If the thought of waking up at 4 am to hit the crowded malls makes you queasy, then look for online discounts.

With Black Friday comes Cyber Monday, and here in DC you can attend an event by Shop.org to help the cause for online shopping. Shop.org will provide lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, laptop computers with high-speed Internet access, and will raffle off thousands of dollars in gift cards to shoppers. Shop@Lunch made easy.

Tax free shopping in DC this weekend on purchases that are $100 or less. Stock up on gifts for yourself and others. Look for more local deals from Washingtonian. Bethesda Row is a great place to start the shopping fever!

Shop for a good cause next Wednesday, December 3rd. The Carpenter Shelter for the homeless in Alexandria benefits, while you save! 50% of the proceeds go directly to The Carpenter Shelter. Shop goodies from local designers showcasing their chic apparel, accessories, jewelry, arts and services at HUGELY discounted savings (up to 70% off). 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM at the Westin in Alexandria. Check out the event on Facebook for more details.

Ann Taylor Loft, J. Crew and Banana Republic are featuring sales with up to 40% off. Stock up on professional looking winter wear.

• Ann Taylor Loft has 40% off already marked down sale prices.
• J. Crew offers an extra 20% off from mark downs if you enter the code EXTRA20 online through December 1.
• Banana Republic has 40% off of cold-weather items (think sweaters, gloves, etc.) through December 1.
• Work off those holiday pounds with cute and comfy clothes from Lucy. 40% off outerwear and up to 30% off already marked down items through December 2.

Looking for a special holiday or New Year’s Eve dress? Check out one of my favorite stores, Cusp, which has great sales and is offering free online shipping with with the code THANKS and an order over $150. Stock up on cute gifts for under $50 such as hand-knitted purple gloves ($34), a Bobbi Brown limited-edition lip gloss trio ($45), and shine on with super shimmery Lippmann Collection gold nail polish ($15).

Pre-order the latest book from Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling, set to release on December 4. The Tales of Beedle the Bard are sure to delight, as all five of the wizarding fairy tales that appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are featured in this treasury of tales. Barnes & Noble is offering it for $7.59 for B&N Club members. An extra 5% will be taken off if you order online. Amazon is even cheaper with a standard edition for $7.14. For the really hardcore fan, a special hardcover collector’s edition is offered for $100.

For some family holiday fun, check out the Polar Express in IMAX at the National Museum of Natural History. Check out http://www.si.edu/imax/ for details and showtimes.

SCENE AND BE SEEN (EVENTS AND PARTIES)

Thanksgiving weekend features parties all week. A few highlights:

WEDNESDAY

• The exclusive Shadow Room is having a pre-Thanksgiving bash tonight. RSVP for complimentary admission (which means free for ladies until midnight, and free for gentlemen until 11PM with RSVP). Absolute Addiction is promoting.
• The newly redesigned Eyebar is having its own Thanksgiving Eve bash, with no cover and open bar for all, starting at 10 pm. Gobble, Gobble! Go to Primo Productions for more detail.
• Itching for a Dewey Beach reunion? Head to Clarendon Ballroom for their annual Thanksgiving Throwdown, featuring Kristen and the Noise. HiBall events sponsors. Come early for $10 admission, and get in for only $5 with two canned goods. Prices increase through the night.

THURSDAY

• Spend time with your family you turkey!

FRIDAY

• My friend (and new Wizards girl) Lyndsay is hosting an event at Midtown on Friday night. (For those who don’t know, Midtown is the new Play.) The Little Black Dress party is sure to be filled with beautiful people, so make sure you dress to impress.

In other news, select summer 2009 shows are now on sale at Wolf Trap. Take advantage of purchasing Disney’s High School Musical tickets (which are sure to sell out) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. TLOTR will feature the complete film in HD with performances by a live orchestra, chorus, and soloists. HSM will be arriving on September 1-6, 2009 and The Lord of the Rings is coming August 28-29, 2009. For more fun and to purchase tickets (including Riverdance and 42nd Street), go to Wolf Trap’s website.

EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY (FOOD AND DRINK)

Thanksgiving is all about food. And, what better way to celebrate food than to share with others. Washingtonian is creating a Thanksgiving recipe box, where readers can submit and share their favorite family recipes.

This is a great time to think of others. Consider volunteering at a local shelter or food bank. Many need extra help for the Thanksgiving holiday, but consider volunteering at another time. Help is needed year round. If you can’t volunteer your time, please volunteer your dollars. Check out Food and Friends, Capital Area Food Bank, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Bread for the City, and the DC Central Kitchen.

Union Jack’s new Ballston location is hosting a grand opening next Thursday, December 4th. There will be a free buffet to sample food, and lots of fun to be had for all. Could be a great overflow spot for Rock Bottom’s Wednesday night $1 beer debacles.

Tomorrow I’ll be posting information for a contest to win a 1 lb. box of Enstrom’s toffee. If you’ve never had it, I highly recommend you get into it. More to come…

NOTE: Posted this a bit early this week with the holiday in mind. Check back every Thursday for a weekly round up.

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