Julie Rosner, Author at The Parklander Magazine - Connecting you to our community

October 2, 2020October 1, 2020

4 Rivers Smokehouse

Something special happens when you greet your favorite cut of meat with heat and smoke from a well-prepared BBQ. The essence of the smoke and the slow cooking process creates some of the most flavorful foods you will find throughout the world.

Our community is incredibly lucky to have a great BBQ smokehouse right in the middle of Coral Springs. 4 Rivers Smokehouse is well known all over Florida for its hickory-smoked BBQ. Named after the Rivers family, our local Coral Springs location is a great place to get your fi ll of juicy brisket.

Lean and Juicy Brisket with Smoked Sausages

Smoked brisket is the quintessential smoked meat cut. The process of building the fire, managing the temperature, and seasoning the meat is a ritual found in many backyards.The delicate smokey flavor can not be easily created by a propane grill and often takes at least half a day to BBQ correctly. At 4 Rivers Smokehouse, they have done all the work, and all you need to bring is your appetite.

4 Rivers Smokehouse prepares everything from scratch to achieve those authentic BBQ flavors. They spend 18 hours smoking their brisket so you can pick it up in a jiffy. You have a choice of lean or juicy cuts and can enjoy it in various ways – sandwich, tacos, or bunless. My preference is a bunless, juicy cut; biting into it, you can taste the sweet hickory-smoke infused
into the beef. Heaven, if you love beef.

Burnt Ends, sweet and tangy, is another favorite choice. At 4 Rivers Smokehouse, they come in beef, chicken, and pork. For vegetarians who want to enjoy the smoked flavor, BeyondMeatTM Burnt Ends are also available, so you don’t miss out on the great smokey experience.

The real challenge is saving room for dessert, and they have some great ones on the menu right now. Their Tipsy Cowboy Cake, made with real bourbon, is delicious. The best is their Krispy Kreme donut bread pudding, made with real Krispy Kreme donuts; it’s an indulgence worth saving room for.

One of my favorites is currently only available on their catering menu – BBQ wings. These wings are smoked in the same hickory-smoke as the brisket. The result is meat that is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. You must try it if you decide to have 4 Rivers Smokehouse cater your events.

During the past few months, catering, curbside, and delivery has been very popular. As Broward slowly reopens, the spacious dining room has reopened as well with social distancing protocols in place. With the fall season, some favorites like sweet potato casserole and smoked jalapeños are back on the menu.

Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (Closed Sundays)
2660 NORTH UNIVERSITY DRIVE CORAL SPRINGS, FL 33065
Phone: (844) 474-8377

By Curiously Hungry

October 2, 2020October 1, 2020

Navratri

South Florida is home to a large Hindu community, and every fall, various celebrations fill the local temples and community centers.

Navratri (nine nights) marks a vibrant and joyful Hindu celebration, and this year, it will begin on October 17th. The festival is a celebration of the divine feminine principle Shakti. One of the core beliefs of Hinduism, pluralism, exemplifies that the divine can manifest itself in different forms as is exemplified during Navratri.

The first three days are dedicated to GoddessDurga, the next three to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth; and the last three days are for Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning and wisdom. The last day, the tenth, Dussehra, is for celebrating the triumphs of good over evil.
During the evenings, Hindus get together and dance. Garba, Gujarat’s traditional folk dance, is performed, and so is Dandiya-raas. In Garba, dancers move in a circle around a picture or representation of Durga (creative energy).

Garba involves vigorous movements such as jumping, fl ailing the arms, rhythmically clapping, twirling, and stepping in sync. Dandiya-raas involves two circles moving in opposite directions. The outer circle moves counterclockwise while the inner circle moves clockwise. Each woman strikes her dandiyas, wooden sticks, with those of the woman in the other circle, then they both move on.

Dancing helps express joyousness, togetherness, and reverence for womanhood. Many women fast and pray throughout the nine days to Goddess Shakti. Many also place books, instruments, and tools before Goddess Saraswati as they wish for her to bless them with talent, knowledge, and inspiration.

Although the celebrations this year will be different and may not be as community-centered as previous years, Hindus will still feel together and spread spiritually as they celebrate on their own to show persistence against the current challenges, like Durga’s victory over Mahishasura.

By Yash Patel

December 1, 2017February 15, 2021

Ask Dr. Renae: Should I keep this secret?

Dear Dr. Renae,

My best friend tried cutting herself after she had a big fight with her mother. I promised to keep it a secret as long as she promised never to do it again. I now regret my promise. I keep wondering how I will know that she stopped since she and her mother do not get along. I don’t think she has cut again, but how can I be sure? I spend a lot of time worrying about her but I don’t want to betray my friend by breaking my promise. What should I do?

Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend

Dear Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend,

Being a good friend sometimes means doing something your friend might not necessarily like, but you know will keep them healthy and safe in the long run. You must tell an adult about your friend’s situation. Even if she has not cut herself again, the fact that she tried it once implies that she may need help channeling her emotions in a healthy way. It also sounds as though she needs to work on her relationship with her mother. My suggestion is for you to speak with your parents about this if it is something you feel comfortable sharing with them. If not, talk to a teacher, guidance counselor, or another adult you trust. You can ask whomever you speak with to keep this anonymous. They might be able to get your friend the help she needs without revealing that you told her secret. However, if it does come out your friend may be angry with you. If she is, remember this – while she may be angry now, she will thank you in the long run for having kept her safe and healthy.

A Caring Teen

Dear Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend,

I think that if she promises never to do it again, you should both be OK. However, if it happens again I would be concerned with her safety. She was probably just experimenting coping mechanisms to make her feel better, although it does not justify her actions. You are a very good friend for knowing when to keep promises and knowing when to try to get help for your friend. As a good friend, it’s important to have a heart to heart talk with her and see if you both can come up with something else for her to do when she gets angry with her mom. She can FaceTime you so she can vent her anger, journal, color, take a walk, listen to music, or something else your friend may find soothing. Sending love to you.

Your 14-Year-Old Friend

Dear Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend,

I totally understand where you’re coming from. You don’t want to betray her trust and ruin your friendship with her, but cutting yourself is much bigger than any promise or friendship. It is incredibly dangerous. You should talk to your friend and try to get her to agree to get help. You’re in a difficult situation, but keeping quiet may only make the problem worse. Try to reason with her and comfort her. You can also try talking to your parents about it and see if they have any good ideas on what you can do. Your guidance counselor at school can also help. I hope it all turns out OK.

A 16-Year-Old Friend

Dear Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend,

Go to your friend and ask her seriously if she’s been cutting again. You need to let her know that if she is, you are there for her. She is going through a rough time in her life. Help her find alternatives to cutting such as using a stress ball, writing her feelings down on paper, or drawing to calm down. Ask her what is bothering her because she is probably hurting a lot inside and doesn’t have any other way to express it. It’s important to keep promises, but in a situation like this, you could help your friend’s problem by asking your school’s guidance counselor how to handle this. If your friend has a serious cutting problem and you feel like that would be the best option, let your friend know that you care about her too much and you want to get help for her.

A Caring Friend

Dear Stressed 13-Year-Old Friend,

At the time when you made the promise to your friend, it felt like the right thing to do. After experiencing the weight of that worry, you now realize that keeping this secret is not safe or healthy for you and your friend. It will take a lot of courage for you to explain in the sincerest and caring way that you will help her decide the safest way for her to get help. Even if your friend only cut herself once, it is critical for her to be assessed by a professional for risk of suicide, depression, or effects of previous trauma that you might not know about. Medical care for her cuts may also be needed. Without the proper treatment for the problems she is experiencing, your friend may be robbed of a lifetime of success and happiness. Your School Counselor, School Social Worker or School Family Therapist will be able to help her improve her relationship with her mother and find other trusting supportive adults. Being a good friend means looking out for your friend’s best interest, especially when she is not able to look out for herself. If you keep this secret, you will be letting her down and letting your self down as well.