Aire Serv - February 2018

Aire Serv - February 2018

aireserv.com/mid-hudson-valley | 845-256-6158

COMFORT CONNECTIONS

When a Hike Leads to a

14-YEAR MARRIAGE

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on the special people in our lives. Luckily for me, I have the best valentine I could

office until the trains started running again, and I had been away in the city on a work trip and gotten stuck when all planes were grounded. It may seem like a strange thing to discuss, but it was one of those weird little connections that spurs a deeper conversation. After the hike was over, the whole group went out to lunch nearby. She and I exchanged numbers and emails, and that was that. For our first date, I took her to see a movie — I think it was “K-PAX,” of all things — and took her out to dinner at a place called the Rolling Rock Cafe. It was a low-key, but both of us enjoyed the company of this new person that had somehow landed smack dab in the middle of our lives. Three years later, we returned to the same restaurant where the Sierra Club group had lunch that fateful day and embarked along the same trail we’d followed years before. Along the way, we took in the natural beauty, chatting with an ease that just couldn’t have been possible when we first met. And when we got to the little waterfall, I got down on one knee, took the ring from my pocket, and asked if she’d like to spend the rest of our lives together. Though we don’t do much for Valentine’s Day, I think any opportunity to celebrate the woman who’s brought so much meaning and joy into my life is fantastic. I can’t imagine what I would do without her. ONE OF THOSE WEIRD LITTLE CONNECTIONS THAT SPUR A DEEPER CONVERSATION.” “IT MAY SEEM A WEIRD THING TO DISCUSS, BUT IT WAS

possibly imagine — my wife, Andrea. I feel lucky every day she sticks by my

side, especially since it all stemmed from a chance meeting neither of us expected.

In fact, we met on a group day hike organized through the Sierra Club. Neither of us were

exactly avid hikers, so it was amazingly lucky

that we’d meet in this place, far from where either of us were living at the time. But as we meandered through the state park landscape of Westchester County, over a small gorge, and past a little burbling waterfall, we got to chatting, filling in the spaces between the wildlife and the hum of the woods.

Immediately, I found her easy to talk to, a kind, outgoing woman who really seemed interested in what I had to say. It turned out we’d grown up not too far from one another in Duchess County. It was in 2001, not too long after 9/11, and we discovered we’d experienced similar fallout from the event. She’d been working in a book publishing firm in New York and had gotten stranded at her

–Jim Serra

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SAMPLE THESE CHOCOLATE FACTS

“Outstanding customer service and very professional. From the first contact calling in until the work was done, their customer service is the best I have ever experienced.” –Wes M. “I have had a great experience with Aire Serv services! This company went well above and beyond what I expected in friendliness, service, and installation. They were willing to answer all of my questions and were honest and upfront about their service. Watching them install an air conditioner and heater allowed me to see the pride they take in their work and in making sure it is done right. I know I can trust Aire Serv with any future maintenance and repairs of my A/C and heater.” –Daniel N. Chocolate lovers, rejoice! After 80 years, a new variety of chocolate has finally graced the world: ruby chocolate. This naturally pink chocolate, created by Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, is not milky like milk chocolate, sweet like white chocolate, or bitter like dark chocolate. Instead, Callebaut describes the flavor of his confection as a “tension between berry fruitiness and luscious smoothness.” Unfortunately, while ruby chocolate sounds like a wonderful treat, it is not yet available to consumers. So, as you wait for ruby chocolate to be stocked in your local grocery store or candy boutique, satisfy your chocolate cravings with some sweet facts about your favorite treat. IMPOSTERS! The names of certain chocolates can be very misleading. German chocolate cake, for example, is not named after the country of Germany. It’s actually an American dessert that was first baked in 1852, named for its creator, Sam German, and originally called “German’s chocolate cake.” White chocolate also suffers from a mistaken identity. Made primarily from cocoa butter, white chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids, which means it’s not technically chocolate. WHAT’S IN A NAME? The ancient Mayans are credited as the first people to grow and consume chocolate. However, the word “chocolate” comes

from the later Aztec civilization. The Aztecs loved a bitter, spicy beverage made from cacao beans called “xocoatl.” And since we’re on the topic of words, the scientific name for the tree that grows cacao beans, Theobroma cacao, is a Greek word, which translates to “food of the gods.” This just proves cocoa connoisseurs were right all along — chocolate really is divine. A SWEET DEAL Speaking of the Aztecs, their civilization loved chocolate so much that cacao seeds were used as a form of currency in Mesoamerica. During the American Revolution, chocolate was still accepted as payment, sometimes used in soldiers’ rations in lieu of wages. Even today, chocolate remains a valuable commodity. The chocolate industry is worth around $110 billion a year. Humans have enjoyed the sweet pleasures of chocolate for thousands of years. And with so many chapters of candy history left to explore, namely ruby chocolate’s eventual entrance, it’s clear the treat won’t go out of style any time soon.

TESTIMONIALS

“Great service and very professional! They went above and beyond. We will continue to use Aire Serv for our air conditioning and heating services. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new system or having a problem with their old system.” –Michelle H. “This is the only A/C and heating company that I would recommend. The guys are honest and very qualified.” –John R.

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MISTAKES EVERYBODY MAKES WHEN HEATING THEIR HOME

If your heating bills have been sky-high all winter, it may be time to call one of the professionals at Aire Serv. But before you do, make sure you find out if you’re making any of the following HVAC blunders. You may be surprised by how many of these mistakes you make. Not changing your filters. If you leave your filters alone for months on end, you’re allowing dust and debris to accumulate and cause potential issues. Not only will it inhibit the proper functioning of your heating and cooling and increase your bills, but if the problem gets bad enough, it could actually break your system. Make sure you switch them out every three months or so to be safe. Not using a programmable thermostat. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: If you’re not using a programmable thermostat, you’re throwing money

away. Sure, they may cost a little upfront, but in the long run, the ability to crank down the heat during the night or when you’re at work can save you hundreds of dollars. Turning your system on and off. In order to operate at peak condition, your heating and cooling systems need to be left running constantly. Even if you’re gone for a few hours, the extra work your system will have to do to get your home temperature back to baseline will outweigh any savings you might have gleaned from turning it off. Avoiding annual servicing of your system. Your HVAC system is an intricate labyrinth of complicated machines, ventilation shafts, and minute processes, which it runs through every day. Though you may not want a contractor to come over each year, it’s vital that you understand that this puts your system at severe risk of damage. Trust the experts — it’s a lot less expensive to catch a problem before it arises than to fix one.

BACON-WRAPPED TATER TOT BOMBS

HAVE A LAUGH!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups frozen tater tots, defrosted

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 ounce sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch squares

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• 4 slices bacon, quartered

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Press a cheese square into each tot, then wrap with a piece of bacon. Dredge each tot in brown sugar. 3. Place tots seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn halfway through. 4. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately

Recipe inspired by ThisGrandmaIsFun.com.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

392 Masten Rd Pleasant Valley, NY 12569

A Day Hike and a Lifelong Partnership INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 Have You Heard of Ruby Chocolate? 845-256-6158 | aireserv.com/mid-hudson-valley

Testimonials

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Avoid These Heating Mistakes

Not Sure What to Bring to the Super Bowl Party?

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The Most Romantic Destinations on Earth

THE BEST VALENTINE’S GETAWAYS

TO FANTASIZE ABOUT

Valentine’s Day is for fancy dinners, heart-shaped boxes packed with subpar chocolates, and fantasizing about the magical places you and your beau would have escaped to — if only you had the PTO. So, grab a glass of bottom-shelf cab sauv, cuddle up next to your special someone, and try to make them feel bad for taking you to Chili’s instead of whisking you away to one of these picturesque fantasy lands. UDAIPUR, INDIA These days, meandering through the cobblestone streets of Paris with your loved one is très passé. All the real high-rolling romantics are migrating southeast to the famous Oberoi Udaivilas hotel in western India. Set in a traditional Mewari palace, visitors will feel like royalty as they stroll around the labyrinthine gardens that surround the elaborate cream- colored structure. Travelers can relax beside one of the many glassy pools sprinkled throughout the estate, all of which are enthusiastically attended by an unparalleled service staff. POSITANO, ITALY More than perhaps anywhere in the world, this place looks like it was lifted straight from a sappy romance novelist’s imagination. You and your partner can kick back on a balcony overlooking the entirety of this seaside town, taking in the century-old multicolored Italian architecture perched precariously on the verdant mountainside. Too small to accommodate swarms of tourists, it’s the perfect place to while

away the hours ambling from shop to shop, sampling the delicious local cuisine, and maybe taking a dip along the 300-meter beach. THE MALDIVES From a water villa smack dab in the midst of the glassy, ultra-blue Indian Ocean, you and your main squeeze can enjoy utter seclusion. Sip champagne in the shade of

a palm overlooking an otherworldly sunset or get a little more adventurous, strap on a mask, and check out the abundant aquatic wildlife. Many hotels in the area even include access to an array

of boats, perfect for your own private excursion along the mild waves. Of course, you could also always just stare, dumbfounded, into the horizon, wondering how such a place could actually exist on Earth.

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