Some Good News A HEARTWARMING REUNION
As kids, our teddy bears offer us comfort in hard times, fun adventures during play times, and protection in scary times. But for 28-year-old Mara Soriano, her teddy bear is far more than just a childhood memento or an adorable friend. Mara’s mother, Marilyn, was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. In order for her eldest daughter to remember her, she gave Mara a gift. It was a teddy bear from Build-A-Bear, named Mama Bear, and its fluff contained a message from Marilyn to Mara. The message told Mara how much she loved her and how proud she was of her daughter. As the cancer progressed, Marilyn’s health began to deteriorate quickly until she passed away in June of 2019, and Mara’s teddy bear became irreplaceable. In an interview with CTV News, Mara says, “That bear was basically the last reminder of the mom that I knew — it was her voice that I remembered growing up.” In early July of this year, Mara was moving into a new apartment and, tragically, Mama Bear was stolen during the move, along with a few other electronics. Devastated, Mara took to the streets, putting up posters, digging through dumpsters, and posting a plea on the online community. SUDOKU
People across the internet began sharing her post, hoping that Mama Bear would soon find its way home, and quite quickly, it became viral. These pleas caught the attention of actor Ryan Reynolds, who posted a tweet about Mama Bear: “Vancouver: $5,000 to anyone who returns this bear to Mara. Zero questions asked. I think we all need this bear to come home.”
In late July 2020, Mara received an email from someone stating they had Mama Bear and wanted to reunite the two of them. While skeptical, Mara set up a safe meeting place and went to see if she would be reunited with her bear at last. To her delight, it wasn’t a scam: “I’m not gonna lie, I kind of buckled,” Mara told CTV. “As soon as I saw [him] pull her out of the bag … I just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and I couldn’t let her go.” Today, Mara is so incredibly thankful for the thousands of people who helped her reunite with Mama Bear, and, certainly, this story shows that even if the world is filled with uncertainty and difficult times, people will come together for one another.
BALSAMIC MARINATED FLANK STEAK
NIBBLES WITH NUG
Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
The summer isn’t over yet! Get out the grill for this delicious steak dinner.
INGREDIENTS •
2 garlic cloves, sliced
•
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
• • • •
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
• • •
1 3-lb flank steak Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard, and vinegar in a blender. Purée until garlic is minced. 2. Add oil and continue blending until creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup. 3. Place steak in a ceramic or glass baking dish and cover steak with the remaining marinade. Turn to coat the other side, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours. 4. Remove steak from marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Sprinkle the steak lightly with salt and pepper. 5. Light grill and oil grates with olive oil. 6. Grill steak over moderate heat for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until steak is lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 125 F. 7. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice, drizzle reserved sauce, and serve.
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