March 27 - Quentin Tarantino

Happy 57th Birthday, Quentin Tarantino! Born today in 1963 as Quentin Jerome Tarantino, this American actor and filmmaker's high school drop-out turned self-educated movie geek made good in a big way by giving him a legendary standing almost immediately. 

  

His features are characterized by nonlinear storylines, aestheticization of violence, extended scenes of dialogue, ensemble casts, references to popular culture. 

This also includes a wide variety of other films, soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s, alternate history, and features of neo-noir film. 

  

Tarantino's films have garnered both critical and commercial success as well as a dedicated cult-following. He has received many industry awards, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and the Palme d'Or, and has been nominated for an Emmy and five Grammys.  

  

In 2005, Tarantino was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. 

American director, writer, actor, producer, critic and film historian Peter Bogdanovich has called him "the single most influential director of his generation". 

In December 2015, Tarantino received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry. 

  

Tarantino has been active from 1987–present.

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If Tarantino was a chef...

March 26 - National Spinach Day

Happy National Spinach Day! On March 26th each year, today reminds us of the health benefits packed into this leafy green vegetable. Not only are there so many delicious ways that you can enjoy spinach, but it is also incredibly good for you! 

  

An annual plant, spinach grows natively in central and southwestern Asia. Thought to have originated in ancient Persia, Arab traders carried spinach into India and then later introduced into ancient China.  

  

There it was known as “Persian vegetable.”  The earliest available record of the spinach plant was found in Chinese, saying that the spinach plant was introduced into China via Nepal. 

  

During her reign as queen of France, Italian noblewoman Catherine de' Medici enjoyed spinach so much, it was served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as “Florentine” reflecting Catherine’s birth in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. 

  

Spinach is: 

• 
  
  • eaten raw or cooked and is available fresh, frozen or canned. 
• • one of the best sources of iron. 
• • an excellent source of calcium, folic acid, fiber, protein, calcium and vitamins A, C and K. 
• • loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants 
• • believed to help improve cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health. 

Types of spinach: 

Savoy: dark green color with curly leaves; usually sold in fresh bunches. 
Flat or Smooth Leaf: broad, smooth leaves;  mostly grown for canned and frozen spinach as well as soups, baby food and processed foods. 

Semi-savoy: a hybrid variety with crinkly leaves: is sold fresh and processed. 

• 
  
  • Following China, the United States produces the world’s second-largest crop of spinach.  
• • California, Arizona, and New Jersey are the top spinach producing states in the United States. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

There are so many ways to enjoy spinach. Try these suggestions: 

• 
  
  • Fresh spinach salad 
• • Spinach pizza 
• • Spinach dip 
• • Cream spinach 
• • Spinach lasagna 
• • Add spinach to scrambled eggs 

Share your favorite ways to add spinach to your meals.  Use #NationalSpinachDay to post on social media. 

HISTORY 

National Day Calendar® continues researching the origin of this leafy holiday. However, we’ve ruled out Popeye the sailor man. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny1I3kFM7iI 

#NationalSpinachDay 

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