Savionaires, are you tired of being taken advantage of by car dealerships and repair shops? Well, Mechanic Marv has you covered. He’s been working on cars ever since he was able to pick up his first wrench, which was given to him by his father, who was also a Mechanic Savant — no grease monkeys here!

Mechanic Marv is my personal mechanic and has more than 40 years of experience working on vehicles, from Audis to Z4 BMWs. He’s very knowledgeable about American vehicles, but he specializes in luxury and foreign brands, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Range Rover, and Volkswagen.

If you’re looking to buy a new car, do regular maintenance, or take your vehicle in for repairs, but you have questions, Ask Mechanic Marv.

Send your questions to susan@MistressSusanTV.com and put Ask Mechanic Marv in the subject line. Then, be on the lookout for auto advice on Mondays.

Join other like-minded luxury wellness enthusiasts and me on Instagram and YouTube as we optimize our wellness … and our cars! You can’t get to your wellness appointments in a broken-down car. See disclaimer below.*

*Disclaimer/No Professional Relationship Clause:

Submission of questions or receipt of responses does not establish a mechanic-client relationship. The information provided in “Ask Mechanic Marv” is for general informational and educational purposes only. While Mechanic Marv brings decades of automotive experience, the advice shared is not a substitute for a professional, in-person inspection, diagnosis, or repair by a licensed mechanic.

Vehicle conditions can vary widely based on make, model, age, and usage. Any actions you take based on the information provided are at your own risk. Mistress Susan and contributors are not responsible for any damages, losses, or issues resulting from the use or reliance on this content. For specific concerns, always consult a certified automotive professional or repair facility.

DINK. SINK. SIBE^x? Yes, SIBE^x, a term coined by Mistress Susan that rhymes with vibe and stands for Single-Income Boomer or Gen Xer. As more boomers and Gen Xers fully embrace or reluctantly accept single-income household living, their unique needs must be addressed. Welcome to SIBE^x — where being a Single-Income Boomer or Gen Xer means being Savvy, Independent, Bold, and Experienced to the X power.

Coming soon: The SIBE^xcast will be available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have been watching the sexiest mystery on TV: Presumed Innocent. We are four episodes in, with four more to go. Who do you think the killer is? My partner in crime, TP, and I have narrowed it down to:

• Raymond and Lorraine Horgan
• DA Nico Della Guardia
• Mya Winslow
• Jaden Sabich
• Judge Lyttle
• PA Eugenia
• Team of Terror’s Three Teenagers (TP believes this one)

Join TP and me live on July 24 as we watch the finale and see if we were correct. Stay tuned for more deets.

Are you tired of being taken advantage of by car dealerships and repair shops? Well, Mechanic Marv has you covered. He’s been working on cars ever since he was able to pick up his first wrench, which was given to him by his father, who was also a Mechanic Savant (no grease monkeys here!).

Mechanic Marv is my personal mechanic and has 40 years of experience working on vehicles, from Audis to Z4 BMWs. He specializes in luxury and foreign brands, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Range Rover, and Volkswagon.

Whether you are looking to buy a new car, do maintenance, or take your vehicle in for repairs, but you have questions, Ask Mechanic Marv.

Send your questions to susan@MistresssusanTV.com and put Ask Mechanic Marv in the heading. Then, be on the lookout for auto advice on Mondays via Instagram.

Join me and other like-minded luxury wellness enthusiasts on Instagram as we optimize our wellness … and our cars too!

September 1 has arrived. Summer is winding down and it is time to prepare for a new adventure. There are only four months left in 2022 and I cannot think of a better way to spend the rest of the year than optimizing wellness. The Mistress Susan S Diet looks at all seven pillars of wellness:

• Strength
• Stamina
• Sleep
• Serenity
• Socialization
• Sustenance
• Sexuality/Sensuality

The Mistress Susan S Diet is a 13-week program. It’s seasonal, but this first track will be different. It will last 17 weeks since we are starting a few weeks early.

Join me and other like-minded wellness enthusiasts on Twitter as we optimize our wellness! Each day will focus on a specific pillar, with encouragement, tips and resources will be highlighted. Follow me and use the hashtag #MistressSusanSDiet. Go, Savionaires!

Savionaires, this wellness journey began in October 1995. Fast forward to 2020. WOW! It has been a very trying two years due to the pandemic. However, life continues to move forward. As everyone tries to evolve and get their lives back on track, Mistress Susan TV is also transitioning. Watch out this summer as we take Mistress Susan TV to the next level. We are committed to providing you with the latest about:

• Strengthening & Fitness
• Sensuality & Sex
• Snazzy Athleisure
• Spa Travel
• Stylish Home
• Soirees & Socials

I’m a huge fan of the Instant Pot collection. For on-the-go mature crowd, it is the perfect go-to choice when you want to prep and set a meal and go ahead about your day. Check out these two Instant Pot must-haves that are on sale for Prime Day:

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Prime Deal: $129.99

• 11 built-in smart cooking programs that let you cook, sauté, steam, slow cook, air fry and more
• Sleek, easy-to-clean surfaces with dishwasher safe accessories
• Perfect air-fried results every time: Innovative Even Crisp Technology ensures tender, juicy meals with a crisp, golden finish
• Number 1 selling product in its category

Instant Pot 3 QT Duo Nova Prime Deal: $49.95

• 7 appliances in 1: Pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, yogurt maker
• Perfect for making side dishes alongside your Instant Pot
• Great addition for beginners, small spaces, your new kitchen

Mistress Susan Secret Tip: Do you like cooking with an air fryer? Look out for our review of an air fryer by Instant Pot. 

Disclosure: This post was done in exchange for an Instant Pot product. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. Mistress Susan TV prides itself on providing honest reviews, which is why an area for improvement is often listed for each product.

For beginners, cooking with cannabis may seem like an incredibly daunting task. In many ways, it is — there’s a lot to keep track of and get just right if you want to have a good trip. But a lot of the information is very straightforward and, once you put it to use, very hard to forget (like riding a bike). In this article, the all-things-cannabis experts at Honest Marijuana discuss the best tips for cooking with cannabis that will make your first foray into the kitchen a breeze and a pleasure.

1) Choose The Right Strain

Even if you’re a complete newb, you know you’re going to feel a little different after cooking with cannabis — that’s why you’re doing it, right?  But being able to predict how you’re going to feel is an important part of the cannabis experience. That’s where choosing the right strain comes in. We suggest getting to know the difference between indicas, sativas, and even landrace strains.  Once you understand the effects that each has to offer, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about how you want to feel after ingesting your edibles. Then you can experiment with the best strains to find the one that’s right for you.

2) Pay Attention To Cannabinoid Content

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that interact with specific cannabinoid receptors in your brain (i.e., CB1 and CB2). These chemicals are what cooking with cannabis is all about. Once you ingest the weed tea, cannabis coffee, pot-infused honey or any other edible, it’s the cannabinoids that make you feel chill or that provide medicinal relief for a variety of ailments. 

The best-known cannabinoid is THC. It’s the stuff that makes you taste sounds and feel colors.  The other main cannabinoid is CBD . It’s the stuff that helps you deal with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Pain
• ADHD
• And a whole lot more…

When you first start cooking with cannabis, it’s vital that you pay attention to the cannabinoid content of the strain you choose. High levels of THC can get you way too high. Similarly, high levels of CBD can result in effects you weren’t necessarily prepared for. Ask the budtenders at your local dispensary to help you find the cannabinoid content that’s right for you.

3) Realize What You’re In For

Cooking with cannabis is dramatically different than smoking the very same strain. One of the biggest differences between ingesting and inhaling your weed is the duration of the resulting experience. Smoking weed causes an almost immediate onset of effects but tapers off quickly after that. Think of smoking weed like slamming the accelerator of your 750-horsepower Lamborghini Veneno Roadster to the floor. Zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds is about what it feels like when you’re toking on a strong strain of Chemdawg.  Unfortunately, all that power really eats up the gas, so the thrill doesn’t last very long. The effects of smoking weed trail off rapidly over the course of an hour or so until you’re back to normal contending with the munchies and trying to keep from falling asleep standing up.

Cooking with cannabis and eating the products causes little to no effects for up to an hour. After that, the experience will build for another hour or so and then taper off slowly over the next two to three hours. Think of ingesting marijuana like push-starting your Lamborghini, accelerating slowly over the course of several miles, and then setting the cruise at 70 m.p.h. for a fun-filled ride. You might not experience the rush of zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds that you get with smoking, but cooking with cannabis gives you a much longer, more sustained level of effects.

It’s important to realize what you’re in for before you start eating or drinking. Chances are, you’re not going to feel anything for a while. Be patient and refrain from eating or drinking any more weed edibles so you don’t create a bad trip.

4) Don’t Use Raw Weed

Raw weed straight from the plant is non-psychoactive. In its raw form, it’s just another vegetable like spinach or kale (albeit one that doesn’t taste good and can cause vomiting). In order to unlock the cannabinoids inside the buds, you have to dry and cure it before you use it. Thankfully, most of the stuff you buy at your local dispensary is already dried and cured so you don’t have to worry about it.

But there’s more to cooking with cannabis than just dumping that baggie of bud into your brownie mix. There’re a few more things to contend with before you can start mixing pot in your favorite recipe.

5) Always Decarb Your Weed

To unlock the full potential of your weed when cooking with cannabis, you need to decarboxylate. Don’t be scared of that five-syllable monstrosity of a word — it’s actually the cannaenthusiast’s friend. “Decarboxylate” is just a technical way of referring to the baking process (see, nothing to be afraid of).

6) Use A Grinder When Cooking With Cannabis

Another important step in cooking with cannabis is using a grinder to get your weed as small as possible. Grinding your cannabis first (after you’ve decarboxylated it, of course) exposes more of the bud’s surface area so the solvent you use (more on that in a moment) dissolves as many of the trichomes as possible. Trichomes are where the majority of the cannabinoids reside. So doing whatever you have to do to maximize the mixing of trichomes into your foodstuffs will benefit you down the road when it’s time to eat.

7) Harness The Power Of Cannabutter Or Cannaoil

The best way to release the cannabinoids when cooking with cannabis is to create a canna butter or cannaoill infusion. Remember the solvent we mentioned in the previous section? It’s not some fancy chemical you can only buy online from a special warehouse. It’s just butter or oil. When you infuse your butter or oil with cannabis, you make following any recipe infinitely easier. If your butter or oil already has cannabis in it — which it will if you make your own infusion — all you have to do is measure, mix, and bake. It’s as simple as that.

Cooking With Cannabis: Quality Over Quantity

The best tip we can give — whether you’re a budding baker or the Martha Stewart of pot brownies — is to always choose quality over quantity when cooking with cannabis.

By and large, most cannaenthusiasts divide weed into four different levels of quality:

• Headies
• Beasters
• Mids
• Regs

When you’re cooking with cannabis, opt for beasters, or, better yet, headies if you can afford it. Your stash will last longer (because you don’t have to use as much), you’ll get more mileage from a small amount, and the experience will be out of this world.

If you can’t find the first two, mids will do in a pinch, but always shy away from regs (the literal bottom of the barrel) unless you have no other choice. And, when possible, insist on including organic marijuana from a reputable source such as Honest Marijuana Co.and organic marijuana products in any recipes you use when cooking with cannabis. Organic marijuana is free of harmful fertilizers, pesticides, and chemicals that will harsh your buzz.

Anthony Franciosi also known as Ant, is an honest to goodness farmer whose fingers are as green as the organic cannabis he grows. He is the proud founder of Honest Marijuana – an all natural, completely organic marijuana growery in Colorado.

While some couples celebrated National Black Love Day on February 13, others are celebrating St. Valentine’s Day. Love is great when it’s great, but when it’s not, it can go horribly wrong. While on lockdown, watch these films to see another side of Cupid’s Love!

1. Blue Valentine (2010) featuring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in a story showcasing the timeline of a relationship gone wrong.
2. 48 Hours’ Death on Valentine’s Day (2018). Did Curtis Lovelace kill his wife and mother of his four kids?
3. St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) starring Jason Robards as Al Capone and directed by the famous Roger Corman.
4. Dateline’s Valentine’s Day Mystery (2010). Did a prominent Oklahoma City doctor bludgeon his wife to death?
5. My Bloody Valentine (1981) or the 2009 version. This cult classic is the ultimate slasher movie.
6. Be My Valentine … or Else! (1981). This underrated horror flick has not one, not two, but three alternates names: X-Ray, Hospital Massacre and Ward 13.
7. Valentine (2001). Is a lover or stalker sending women love cards? TV star David Boreanaz and Denise Richards headline the cast.
8. Valentine’s Day (2010) featuring an all-star cast portraying stories of love and heartbreak.
9. I Hate Valentine’s Day (2009) Have Nia Vardalos and John Corbett of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) reunited for another sleeper hit?
10. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975). The Peanuts Gang prepares for this special day.
11. Investigation Discovery (2021). Seven true crime shows When Valentines Become Valenterrible!

When you are in the kitchen ready to cook up a date night meal, which smart speaker is best for looking up and following recipes for the wellness-conscious mature crowd? Is it the Amazon Echo Show, Lenovo Smart Display, Google Home Hub Max or something lesser known? Stay tuned so you can be prepared for Thanksgiving Day.