Skip to main content

Feel Good Friday: AVIV and the Power of Good Thoughts

feel good friday aviv and the power of thoughts bottle
Image used with permission by copyright holder
There are times when fear seems like the most powerful force on Earth. While it’s easy to succumb to fear, it’s important to remember that peace and love are stronger. How can we prove to ourselves and our loved ones that we’re not afraid of fear? By having a good time, of course.

That’s exactly what the distillers at AVIV 613 are doing. In addition to making a delicious vodka, which is always enjoyable at get-togethers, AVIV has pledged to donate 10% of their profits to charity. As a certified Kosher vodka, AVIV receives 100% of its ingredients from Kosher farmers, which in turn are required to donate 10% of their yields to charity.

AVIV_HEADER_08As a Kosher Israeli vodka, AVIV is steeped in Judaic traditions and lore. However, their core message is universal: Enjoying a few drinks with friends is an act of peace, joy, and love. Here’s how AVIV describes their beliefs on their website: “We seek harmony and balance to shield us from the trials and tribulations of daily life—lifting a glass to life’s precious moments, goodwill towards each other, unity of family, our intimate circle of friends, and the rituals that unite us.”

Related: The Manual’s Ultimate Holiday Spirit Guide 2015

A simple toast may be nothing more than a symbolic gesture of positive thinking, but such gestures are more powerful than we realize. When you make a toast, you vocalize positive, constructive thoughts. For at least a moment, you and your loved ones live in a world without pain and suffering.

AVIV’s love of positive symbolism is evident in every bottle. For instance, the triangular shape represents body, mind, and spirit; and one side of each bottle includes the phrase “celebrate life” in 22 languages. On AVIV’s website, you can decode the other 100 or so messages hidden in every bottle.

In a climate with an increasing number of divisions, it’s important for us to come together whenever and however we can. So the next time you’re feeling scared or alone, reach out to someone, raise a glass, and make a toast. If you can’t think of a good one, just borrow one from AVIV’s website. Of course, a simple “cheers”and a smile is always enough.

AVIV is available in stores in MN, WI, NJ, NY, and FL, and available online for $30

TJ Carter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
TJ Carter wears many hats, both figuratively and literally. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2011 with a degree…
The 11 best superhero movies of all time
Here's a short list to start your superhero movie binge
Tom Hardy and Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Need a break from real life? Here's a list of the best superhero films to binge. Choosing the best superhero films of all time is no easy task. Ask any fan of superheroes, whether it's the comics or films, and you're guaranteed to get a different list every time. Share your list with others, and the responses will include either nods of agreement, raised eyebrows, or blunt responses that you're dead wrong.
In compiling the list of best superhero films of all time, I tried to keep viewers of all ages and devotion to superhero cinema in mind. My original plan was to include Deadpool on the list until I realized there's an entire generation of movie fans still not allowed to watch the film because of its R-rating. The LEGO Batman Movie also appeared in my initial top choices, but the film felt out of place compared to the other films. (I still recommend LEGO Batman to everyone because it's darn hilarious.) Full disclosure: This list might change as we add and subtract films as they premiere and earn their spot on the list.
After much internal debate, I finally drilled down 11 superhero movie choices for both Marvel and D.C. with personal reasons for each selection. While thousands of fans likely won't agree with this list, few will argue that all these films are fantastic and worth multiple viewings. That said, here's my list of the best superhero movies of all time and where to watch them. Many are available on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime for your viewing for your convenience. Spoilers ahead.

11. Black Panther (2018)

Read more
How long should you let new cigars rest in a humidor?
Cigar humidor

Looking at those beautiful, oily cigars you've just unboxed or unwrapped, the calling to light up is real. I get it. I always want to smoke my cigars right away, too. But you shouldn't. Mail day is always exciting after you've ordered a slew of new cigars. When they arrive, the real fun begins. You'll probably need to organize your humidor to make the new sticks fit or arrange them for optimal humidification. As you're handling them, it's difficult to resist the temptation to crack open the cellophane or boxes and smoke one right away. While you can do that in most cases, I would recommend against it. Depending on where those cigars came from, where you live, and how they traveled, they might need a little time to rest in a humidor. They'll need to replenish some humidity and moisture or dry out a little.
How long should you let your new cigars rest?

When you put cigars in a humidor, especially one that's filled, they'll soak up and release humidity over time until they reach the average RH (relative humidity) that you have set inside your humidor. If you have a device like a that does this automatically, it will produce moisture and humidity to keep the levels optimal. You can also achieve the same thing with in smaller humidors, which release and soak up the humidity to match the levels on the label. Boveda packs come in a range of RH levels, from the low to mid-60s to the mid-70s.

Read more
The 11 best Kevin Costner movies, ranked
He has a full resume of films, but if you're a Costner fan, then you must see these movies
Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves

An all-American, blue-collar working man turned Hollywood essential, Kevin Costner has lived a life full of experience and dreams that some can only imagine. Starting out as a small kid -- 5'2" at high school graduation -- who moved around a lot, Costner was fond of things like poetry, writing, and singing in his Baptist choir. Outside of the arts, he was also very interested in sports of all kinds, which is reflected in his film career to this day. Also a man of the outdoors, Costner built his own canoe at 18 and paddled it through sections where Lewis and Clark ventured. Fun facts aside, Costner had a full and interesting life before the world got to know him as the charming and eloquent movie man we know him to be today.
From his past life, accomplishments, and hobbies, Costner was fully prepared to write, direct, and act for the screen as he fulfilled yet another lifelong dream. A man who was once called "The King of the Sports Movie," Costner has been able to act in films of a subject matter near and dear to his heart that became the films he is best known for. And that doesn’t include his many other successful movies having to do with politics, crime, and romance that also make for some of his best roles. Luckily, we’re here to talk about all of those films at once as we celebrate the man who has accomplished more in one lifetime than some could in many. Here are the best Kevin Costner movies of all time.

11. Open Range (2003)

Read more