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Beach Video

9/17/2018

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Relax With 10 Hours Of Original Beach Ocean Wave Sounds
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#BeachesOfInstagram

11/10/2016

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Earth is a magnificent place to live. It's full of beauty, wonder, and sites to behold. It sparks wanderlust in all of us, from the mountains to the sea, and from the cities to the countryside, we all feel the urge to go explore and experience it.

For some of us, traveling freely around the world is just not in the cards, thankfully, there's Instagram. Instagram puts those out of reach places right in the palm of our hands every single day and gives us a little mental vacation from the daily grind.

It's no mystery that our favorite place to be transported to is our first love, the beach. There are so many wonderful things that make the ocean great, including it's ability to relieve stress and reset your soul, to it's sheer beauty. We dream of visiting beaches from around the world one day and breathing in what makes each one special. Until then we are able to live vicariously through the eyes of photographers from around the globe. 

This is why we love all the Instagram accounts that feature gorgeous, magnificent, jaw dropping, beautiful beaches in their feeds everyday, all taken by some of the best photographers from around the world. They capture ocean waves, palm trees, white sands, sunrises, sunsets, and of course sublime blue water. These photographers are sometimes locals collecting images of the world around them and sometimes they are travelers collecting memories of the places they have been. Either way we are grateful they allow us to share their views and experiences.

In this blog post we wanted to showcase a few of our photographers and show you a small sample of what you will find in beach feeds. We had a hard time choosing who to include, however we finally narrowed it down to six. There are so, so many more we would like to tell you about and we hope to do so in future posts.

These are in no specific order...

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@bamboo2244 -Click to see Instagram.
​Cheryl lives in Dunedin, FL and she loves taking pictures of sunsets on the beach, nature, and all kinds of different animals that cross her path all around Honeymoon Island.  ​​

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@ladyhostess -Click to see Instagram.
​Ladyhostess is a flight attendant and travel is her passion. She takes beautiful pictures from around the world and she's an international lady of mystery!

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@droning_man -Click to see Instagram.
Jeremy is a drone opperator taking beautiful pictures from above ​in the Tampa/Clearwater, Florida area. Drone photos are the rage, especially when they are this awesome!

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@quorabee1 -Click to see Instagram.​
​Quora lives in the Philippines and takes gorgeous pictures of the world around her. Her profile states "loving life and living it...living life and loving it". Her photos give you an inside view of all the beauty Borongan, Philippines have to offer.

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@jack_robinson8 -Click to see Instagram.​
Jack lives in Western Australia and you can tell from his photos that he loves everything about the ocean. His profile states "The most valuable thing we can extract from the ocean, is our existence" | SAVE THE OCEAN ✌️. We couldn't agree more!



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@asadi_1988 -Click to see Instagram.​
Mohsen lives in Iran and he loves nature. And from his photos he also loves photography. His photos range from cityscapes, rollercoasters, sunsets, to everything water! His feed shows Iran is really beautiful.

We would like to invite you to follow the Instagram accounts mentioned above. Additionally, we suggest adding a little calm and relaxation to your everyday by following us on Instagram (@denisonharbor). If you love the ocean as much as we do, our feed will bring extra joy to your day. :)

It's our belief that we are not just sharing beach pics, but through the power of Instagram we are bringing people together from around the world and showing that we are all connected in some way. What better way to do this other than sharing the calming peace of the ocean in pictures. 

Thank you,
​Denison

Tags:
​#beachesofinstagram, #beachlife, beach photos, sunsets, sunrise, palmtrees, beautiful beaches, beaches of the world

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Beach Life

5/24/2016

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What is it about the beach that cleanses your soul and wipes away your stress? I look forward to the day when I happily live on the beach. Wind blown hair, the smell of coconut sun tan lotion, rum drinks, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and all the seafood you care to eat. Sign me up! 

Even though living by the coast is not an option right now, I visit as often as I can. The beach is my families' favorite vacation spot. Some people like the mountains, camping at the lake, or going to amusement parks, but for us; it doesn't get any better than the waves crashing on the sand.

Additionally, what's better than fresh seafood right off the dock? Not much in my book. We are on the east coast, so when we frequent the beach we know fresh shrimp, crab, fish, oysters (yuck), and scallops will be on the menu. In our little hideaway, there is a seafood market right on the water of one of the inner coastal waterways. It's maybe a half mile from the sea and boats dock at the market and unload. The market buys whatever the boats brings in that day, fresh. They have about 20 coolers lined up under a shelter with a concrete floor that they keep the catch of the day in. Iced down and ready for you to take home. Ocean fresh, next best thing to farm fresh!

I love coming in after a long day of sun, sand, and sea, ready for a delicious seafood dinner and maybe one of those little frozen fruity drinks, you know, before we get back to the beer and whiskey. Great, now I'm daydreaming and drooling at my desk here....anyway, some of my best memories are from spending time at the beach with family and friends, and eating mounds of seafood, especially shrimp.

The beach is definitely all about getting some relaxation and spending time with family. However, for me, and I think a lot of other people, it's more than that. One of my all time favorite things to do there is reflecting on my life, where I've been and where I'm going. Maybe it's just me, but I like to think a lot and just ponder. Do you know the song "In To The Mystic" by Van Morrison? I think the best line is "Smell the sea and feel the sky, Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic". It seems to sum up the experience quite nicely.

My next planned trip to the beach is in a couple of weeks and I can't wait. How about you? Do you have plans to cleanse your soul with the salty ocean breeze? Maybe you are lucky enough to live there. If so, I hope to join you one day and become a perma-vacationer just like you!

Thank you,
​Denison

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How To Use The Shrimp Peeler Helper

5/11/2016

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The Shrimp Peeler Helper is easy to assemble and use. It comes with two pieces total; one plastic base, and a rubber mat. 

To assemble, simply slide a red shrimp peeler into the top of the and bam, your done! You're now ready to peel and devein shrimp. 

Before you begin peeling, get your work station set up. The Shrimp Peeler Helper is designed to go between two bowls or two plates, one on each side of the base. This allows you to quick drop the shrimp into one and the peel into the other. The unit can accommodate lots of different size bowls and plates depending on the quantity of shrimp you need to peel and devein.

If you have ever used a red peeler, then you are ahead of the curve. If not, it will take a few shrimp to get the hang of it. First grab a shrimp and with the head removed, guide the shrimp down onto the peeler. The peeler point goes between the shell and the meat of the shrimp on the back side. Next glide the shrimp down to the base of the peeler and separate the shell and meat as you go. 

Once you have all of your shrimp peeled and deveined you will need to wash them. Using running water rinse the shrimp one at a time. As you clean them run your thumb over the back of the shrimp to be sure they are completely de-veined. You are now minutes away from eating shrimp! 

The Shrimp Peeler Helper can now be easily cleaned using soap and water, then air dried. 

To purchase a Shrimp Peeler Helper, please visit the product page on Amazon.com.  Thank you for interest in Denison Harbor products and if we can be of any assistance to you email us at admin@denisonharbor.com.

Thanks again,
Denison

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Chipotle, The Shrimp Gauntlet Has Been Thrown

5/10/2016

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Dear Chipotle Mexican Grill, I have a bone to pick with you, or should I say a shell. Let me start by saying you guys have some tasty, tasty burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, and tacos, however, I find it...lacking.
Yeah I said it. 

It's about time you stepped up and added a new item to the menu. Grilled shrimp. I'm talking grilled shrimp burritos, grilled shrimp burrito bowls, grilled shrimp quesadillas, and grilled shrimp tacos. 

I can already taste their deliciousness now. Great, now my mouth is watering and I can't even get one. Thanks a lot Chip. I would even be okay if you charged an upgrade fee to get shrimp. Adding shrimp to the menu would also give your customers yet another healthy option. See, it's good for business.

Let me just warn you that if you don't add shrimp to the menu soon, I'm going to be forced to start an add-on service right in front of all your stores. I have it all worked out, people will go in a get a burrito, bowl, etc with no meat/tofu, then bring it outside to us where we will add grilled shrimp right there on the spot. BAM! We'll start on the east coast then spread like wild fire across America.  

Bet you're scared now. So avoid Chip Shrimp LLC from setting up shop in front of all of your restaurants and just add shrimp to your menu.

Okay, please.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.
Great, now I'm begging.

Alright, well, I'm just saying if you guys had shrimp it would be delicious. Maybe one day. Until then I will continue to come in for my steak burrito, with white rice, black beans, double steak, little mild, little hot, sour cream, cheese, add guacamole, and a large sweet tea. Sorry I've gotta go. You guys want anything from Chipotle? I'm going now.

​Thank you,
Denison
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Does grilled shrimp at chipotle sound good to you?

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Red Plastic Shrimp Peeler And Deveiner Is A Classic!

4/27/2016

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This post is all about giving the red plastic shrimp peeler and deveiner its due. If you have been peeling and deveining shrimp since you were knee high to a grass hopper, like myself, then there is a good chance you have used a red shrimp peeler. It's a classic!

That's because it rules all other methods. It's the best, at least in our opinion, at removing shrimp shells and de-veining them at the same time. Just so we are clear, the Shrimp Peeler Helper is an accessory to the plastic peeler and it makes it even quicker and easier to prepare shrimp. The peeler is the star. 

The classic red shrimp knife, as some people call it, hasn't changed much in 3 or 4 decades. That's all changing now, more people are cleaning their own fresh caught and/or bought shrimp. The masses are moving toward organic, fresh, free range, and never frozen foods across the board. 

Because of this new found interest, the plastic peelers are starting to come in different colors, shapes, and sizes. You no longer have to choose red. They come in clear, green, black, turquoise, and even metal. Our favorite is still red. It's a classic!

Thank you for reading,
Denison

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We've Done The Research And This Cocktail Sauce Is The Boss!

4/22/2016

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So here's the deal, our research and taste test tell us we just can't say which one is the best. That's because of two factors. The first is, it varies wildly on peoples tastes, and second is because cocktail sauce is pretty simple. That said, we still have you covered. 

The standard ingredients that make up cocktail sauce is ketchup (most people say Heinz), horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and hot sauce. That's it, give or take.
A typical base recipe is as follows:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp lemon juice
dash of hot sauce

Directions are to add ingredients into small bowl and mix them together. Add hot sauce to taste. 

It's pretty basic and there seems to be two camps on the issue. One camp says make it yourself, it's cheap, easy, and you can make it how you like it best. The other camp says buy it in the bottle, it's cheap, easy, and you can get it with a classic or spicy favor.

I, myself, have been know to buy cocktail sauce in the bottle and "doctor it up" to give it more heat and favor. Experimentation is key. It's so easy to make a few different favor and/or heat options in little ramekins or dipping bowls to try, especially if you are having people over with different tastes.

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One thing we found is Heinz Cocktail Sauce is a classic and Crosse & Blackwell is close behind. Crosse & Blackwell even has a Zesty Shrimp Sauce that's quiet tasty. Note: we are not getting paid by either one!

If you are just starting out in the cocktail sauce world, we suggest you start with Heinz, Then try C&B Zesty, after that, get creative and venture out on your own.

Thank you, 
Denison
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How Did You Come Up With The Shrimp Peeler Helper?

4/21/2016

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 love shrimp. I don't want to going into a Bubba Gump shrimp rant here, but I love shrimp. Fresh shrimp, the ones you have to peel or pay to have peeled, not the pre-peeled frozen ones. Oh no. 

I've peeled more than my fair share, not sure how fair it is, but anyway. One day I'm standing there peeling and deveining, deveining and peeling a couple pounds of large 21-25 count shrimp, thinking, there has GOT to be a better way. 
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I've try many different methods and tools over the years and it has been my experience the classic red peeler is the "best" way to go. I was just feed up with having the shrimp not peel completely, or get stuck on the peeler, then you have to adjust the peeler in the hand or set it down and use both hands to get the job done. That's when it hit me, if the peeler was mounted somehow and I didn't have to hold it, I could use two hands to peel and de-vein the shrimp like a champ. 

The first thing I did, after I ate dinner of course, was go online and do some research. Nothing close to my idea. So I thought about the design and how it would function. I made some drawings, then headed out to the garage. My first three ideas/prototypes were completely different from the production model. Its a long process of trial and error. Finally I had a simple, yet functional prototype that was ready for production.

The Shrimp Peeler Helper is made here in the USA out of plant based plastics in our little home workshop.

Thank you for your interest in the Shrimp Peeler Helper,
Denison

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Best D**n Grilled Shrimp Recipe. This one is for keeps

4/19/2016

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Are you ready to try the easiest, quickest, and best grilled shrimp recipe? Because this one is for keeps. Prepare yourself for Grilled Cajun Garlic Shrimp.

Total preparation and cook time is between 20 and 25 minutes, using the Shrimp Peeler Helper of course, and the ingredients are simple and healthy to boot.

There is nothing like grilled, buttery, garlic shrimp with a hint of a Cajun kick. Serve with a side salad and some roasted or grilled veggies for a complete meal. This recipe will feed 4 to 6 people so why not have a summer dinner party this weekend? 

You probably have most of the ingredients on hand, which helps balance out the cost of the shrimp. We love going to our local seafood market or Whole Foods Market and getting fresh shrimp, lobster, crab, and fish to use in our dishes. 

Here is the list of ingredients you will need:
2 lbs of large shrimp 21-25 count
8 Tbsp of salted butter
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp of Cajun Spice or Old Bay
1 Tbsp of lemon juice
12 medium skewers


Before you start combining the ingredients for the marinade, fire up the grill and place the skewers in a pan of water to let them soak. This helps keep them from burning up while on the grill. The grill needs to get to about 400 degrees before putting the shrimp on.

It's now time to start the tasty, tasty marinade. In a small sauce pan combine the butter, garlic, lemon juice, and Cajun spice/Old Bay and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally and then remove it from heat.  While you're waiting for the marinade to simmer and then cool down, you can begin peeling and deveining the shrimp. You can leave the tail on or off, It's your call. 

Now you can start assembling the shrimp on the skewers. Use about 4 shrimp per skewer and place them on a serving platter or pan once completed. Divide the garlic butter marinade into two different dishes or bowls. Brush half of the marinade onto the shrimp making sure to coat both sides, then throw them into the refrigerator for a couple of minutes to let the butter firm up on the shrimp.
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The other half of the marinade can be brushed on after they come off the grill, or used as a dipping sauce. Note, you can spice up the marinade with a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce like Cholula or Sriracha hot sauce.
 
It's getting close to dinner time! You are now ready to throw the shrimp skewers on the grill. I can hear the sizzle now! Cook for 2 minutes on each side with the lid down. Be careful not to over cook them. Take them off the grill and serve with little cups of the marinade dip or brush on the remaining marinade, and dig in!

This is great summer meal, because it is light, healthy...except for the butter :), and very tasty.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

​Thank you, 
​Denison


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Running Through Sprinklers And Outside Cookouts - Having Dreams Of Summer

4/18/2016

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Summer is finally upon us. While I love sitting by a warn, crackling fire in the winter time, I have the best memories of summer as both a kid and an adult. This post is all about remembering the amazing times we've had in the past, and our plans to make new amazing memories in the future.

As a kid the best parts about summer was running through the sprinkler and having a popsicle while we dripped dried in the summer breeze. One of my favorite song lyrics is from the Barenaked Ladies song "Pinch Me". 

"It's the perfect time of day
to throw all your cares away
put the sprinkler on the lawn
and run through with my gym shorts on.
Take a drink right from the hose
and change into some drier clothes
climb the stairs up to my room
sleep away the afternoon."
Summer naps were the best. You would wake up refreshed and ready to go again. I remember my two best friends and I would climb trees, build forts, ride our bikes for what seemed like forever, and put the sprinkler underneath the trampoline. Yeah it does sound like a bad idea, probably because it is!

Every summer my family would load up and we would go camping for a week somewhere by the water. Lakes, rivers, beaches, a mud puddle in the backyard, etc. Those were some of the best times. It was like getting back to nature and resting your soul.
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I loved all the cookouts our family and friends would have especially on the Fourth of July. I have fond memories of going on fishing trips or going shrimping in the middle of the night with my dad, then bringing back what we had caught and having a big fish fry with family, friends, and neighbors. And still today some of the best times to be had are at good old fashioned cookouts with friends and family, although now it's mostly around summer birthdays and the Fourth of July due to time restraints.

This is one of the reasons I love our yearly beach trips, it's like a week long cookout. We have been going to the beach with my wife's family for several years now. They rent a house on the beach and we, sixteen of us some years, stay for a week. We relax, eat, have a few drinks, and play in the water, sand, and sun. We fry or boil shrimp for lunch and grill out every night. In my opinion the best get togethers serve steak tacos or fried shrimp. Just saying. 

Another one of my favorite song lyrics is from the Aaron Lewis song "Endless Summer". It takes me to the sand and sea even when I can't be there in person. There's just something about the ocean that recharges you and cleanses your soul like a childhood nap.

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"...breeze is warm and the moon is bright
This endless summer
Boogie boards and diggin' holes
Sand castles and fishin' poles
What a way to save my soul
This endless summer
Just another day in paradise, another story I can tell
These are the moments we can share
Come on let me take you there."

So summer is upon us and it's time to put together plans for a cookout or dinner party. Invite over family and friends and have a fish or shrimp fry. Let the kids run through the sprinkler while you sit back, relax, socialize, and reminisce about childhood memories. While everyone is round plan a camping trip or trip to the beach.

Hope you have yourself a wonderful time this summer making new memories to add to your cherished collection.

Thank you,

Denison

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MMM...Shrimp

4/15/2016

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Love fresh shrimp? Us too! Having a dinner party or get together soon where you want to prepare a bunch of shrimp? We have a few tips and tricks, along with the recipes you'll need. 

Fresh shrimp are the best, however, preparing them can be a total pain. Our first tip is to upgrade to the Shrimp Peeler Helper to peel and devein all your shrimp like a champ. It's like having a third hand to hold the classic, time tested, red, plastic peeler/de-veniner for you. This gives you better control and greatly speeds up the process.

Now that we are done with the sales pitch we can get to tip number two. Trying to figure out how many shrimp you will need per person can be tricky.

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If you are following a delicious shrimp recipe it's usually already worked out for you, because most recipes will tell you how many people it will feed. However, if you are boiling, steaming, or frying shrimp the amount needed will be unique to you and your guest.

​The good news is you don't have to go it alone, the butcher, fish monger, or seafood market will be able to guide you in the right direction. A good rule of thumb is between a 1/4 of a pound to a 1/2 pound per person. If you are serving shrimp tacos, one of my favorites, you just calculate the average number of shrimp per taco that you'd like, then multiple that by the number of tacos per guest.


While we like them anyway they come, one of our favorite ways to have shrimp is fried. Whether you like them lightly battered or with a thicker crust, you can't go wrong with deep fried scrimps. That being said, you may want to take them to another level and if that is the case, we have rounded up over 60 (and growing) fresh shrimp recipes from across Pinterest and the internet to share with you. There are some very talented people creating some very yummy shrimp dishes out there and we are trying to pin them all! Follow our shrimp recipes board on Pinterest.
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Thank you for reading. We hope all of your shrimp dreams come true!
Happy shrimping,
Denison


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Our CookBook Is Called Pinterest

4/14/2016

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Our cookbook is on Pinterest and it is mostly written by other talented people. In fact it's not even our board! But we collaborate on it with RunnyBird. Together, we collect or pin all the delicious recipes we like and want to try. That's the beauty of Pinterest! You can make your own cookbook from thousands, maybe millions, of other people's recipes. Its like an old fashioned recipe swap down at the church.
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The board currently has over 440 different shrimp courses, entrees, and recipes pinned on our Pinterest Shrimp Recipe Board. You should check it out! From fried, boiled, casseroles, pasta dishes, to low country boil, grilled, and stir fried these meals are sure to get your taste buds watering.  If you are feeling in the mood, follow us to stay connected to our latest finds. And be sure to make cleaning all those shrimp easier with the Shrimp Peeler Helper!

Thank you,
​Denison


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    Thank you for taking the time to check out our beach life style blog. We know you had a lot of blogs to choose from, and yet, somehow you landed here.

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