Saturday Scoops

Advertiser Staff

Catnapping is in

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Some tips to maximize nap time Start slow. Promise yourself one nap a week. Feel free to expand. Consider your nap as important a commitment as going to the doctor. Keep it short. Usually, 20 to 30 minutes is plenty. Much more and you'll be groggy — plus, it'll adversely affect your night sleep. Experiment with times. Ideally, Long says, you should nap at a time that is eight hours after waking up in the morning and eight hours before falling asleep at night. Create a special napping space. Get in the mood. Drink a cup of chamomile tea. Put on relaxing music.

In our heart of hearts, we know The Voice is right. We DO deserve a nap.

But in our go-go-go culture, naps — like double butterscotch sundaes and skinny-dipping — have become guilty pleasures that more often than not go unfulfilled.

People do not allow themselves to nap, says Jill Murphy Long, author of "Permission to Nap: Taking Time to Restore Your Spirit" (Sourcebooks Inc.; $14.95). Long found in her survey of 200 women that "they're busy, but so busy taking care of other people they won't carve time out for themselves."

They should. In her book, Long quotes several statistics. Among them: About 60 million Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. This problem is even more pronounced in women than men, she says. When men need a nap, they take it without guilt, she says. She writes that Sir Winston Churchill changed into his PJs to nap, and that a half-dozen U.S. presidents, as well as such great minds as Albert Einstein, napped regularly.

Naps, she stresses, do not a lazy person make. You don't even have to actually sleep. Just rest those weary bones. And afterward, she says, you'll feel refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to deal.

She recommends setting aside 20 minutes a day. "The world won't end," she says. "Just be with yourself. Just be quiet. That's so hard for Americans."

Dinner parties aren't a hassle if you get organized

If having people over starts with being terrified and ends with being exhausted for you, get with these guidelines from Kathy Gunst's "Relax, Company's Coming" and Ron and Julie Malloy's "It's Just a Dinner Party":

• Don't do too much. When someone asks "What can I bring?" assign them something. Make use of takeout and of prepared products. Put someone else in charge of drinks and cleanup.
• Cook what you love and what you know.
• Restrict yourself to one new recipe, read it thoroughly and test it in advance.
• Clear the decks. Empty all trash. Clean up your kitchen.
• Prep, prep, prep. Set the table the day before. Choose your serving dishes and utensils and label them with Post-It notes. Measure or chop ingredients for last-minute dishes.
• And don't forget to give yourself time to visit with your guests.

There's value added in a visit today to Aloha Tower Marketplace: The shopping center launches its "Saturdays @ the Tower" series at 9 a.m. with "Summer in the City," a celebration of recreation featuring a classic car show, contests, exhibits and a 6:45 p.m. fashion show. Also on the schedule: 5-7:30 p.m. — Sunset Salsa Dance Party, with Latin Lady DJ Margarita, at the base of Aloha Tower; 5 p.m.-midnight — Party on the Pier at Gordon Biersch, Don Ho's Island Grill and Kapono's; 6 and 7:15 p.m.— Hawai'i International Jazz Festival "All Stars" in concert. Admission is free. 566-2337, www.alohatower.com.

More sources for Mango Dofu ...

The Advertiser received so many calls about the Mango Dofu Delight product featured on last week's Saturday Scoops page that we hit the phones to find more sources. In addition to tiny Canton Market (in Chinatown, on the mauka side of North King Street between Maunakea and Kekaulike), you can find this mango gelatin mix at Daiei stores and at 99 Ranch Market in Mapunapuna (99 Ranch was out of it earlier this week and expecting a new shipment). Some Chinatown restaurants, such as Ba-Le sandwich shops and Little Village Noodle House, carry a ready-made version.

Make-believe helps kids develop into better adults

When your youngsters are lost in make-believe, it's no waste of time. Researchers have found that youngsters who indulge frequently in dramatic play use more sophisticated language and later become better readers and writers. They also develop their coordination and problem-solving skills.

One way to encourage a rich dramatic play life for youngsters is to provide props. Before throwing something out, ask yourself if your little ones could play with it.

Save old keys, wallets, old clothes and shoes, old office supplies such as address books and small plastic files. Scour tag sales for things like tap and ballet shoes, cheap costume jewelry, costumes and old suitcases. Put the treasures you've found into a box alongside your child's other toys and watch the magic begin.

You need not be a bookworm to dig the Friends of the Library of Hawaii's 55th Annual Book Sale, which kicks off an eight-day run today in the McKinley High School cafeteria. There will be loads of books, paperbacks and magazines, to be sure, but you'll also find CDs, sheet music and videos among the 70 tons (you read that right) of goodies for sale. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. today through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. July 13. For the real deals, check out closing day, when prices are slashed. Free admission. 536-4174.

Draining matter

Sick of hearing the "gulp, gulp, gulp" of a slow drain? Here's where an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. To prevent drain clogs, dispose of cooking grease in an old coffee can or cardboard milk container. Add coffee grounds to a mulch pile. Install a screen or grate to catch hair and soap scum. A safe and effective way to clear a clogged drain: Pour 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain. Follow with at least 2 quarts of boiling water.

These fitness trends help you work smart when working out

Every few months, the "new" big thing in fitness emerges. But while many of these workouts can build you up, others may be a waste of time. Fitness magazine gives the lowdown on a few recent trends:

OUT: 30-minute ab classes.

IN: Core conditioning.

Instead of doing hundreds of crunches at a crack, you train the entire core region — abs, lower back, hips and glutes. Bonus: You'll find it easier to do such everyday activities as carrying groceries or playing with your kids.

OUT: Ankle and wrist weights.

IN: Weighted vests. Adding extra pounds to your arms and legs increases the risk of joint injury. But a weighted vest evenly distributes the load across your back and chest. At $50 and up, find them through sports stores; Power Systems, (800) 321-6975; and Reebok, (800) 838-1074.

OUT: Zoning out.

IN: Tuning in. Paying more attention to your breathing and alignment during any type of workout — and less time watching TV or blasting music — means you'll get better results while potentially preventing injury, because you're more apt to do the exercise correctly.