Thursday, March 31, 2016

Staff Appreciation - Volunteers Needed

To express our appreciation for a year's worth of excellence, the PTA will host Staff Appreciation Day on Tuesday, April 26. All SAS teachers, staff, and administrators will be treated to a meal in their division, provided and staffed by parents. There is also a lovely Halal buffet in the PTA office. Please help support this special day with a contribution of food, time, or money. Click link to view the details by your child's division.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1pPxK42

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Badminton IASAS BBQ

Volunteers are needed for the badminton IASAS BBQ on Friday, April 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. outside of outside of the high school cafeteria. Click for more info or to volunteer.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1pLS0nf

Booster Senior Scholarships

The Booster Club is pleased to grant scholarships to 10 graduating seniors for their contributions to the SAS school community. Each recipient will receive a cash award in the amount of $2,000. Click for more information or to apply now.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1M1E2bp

Cook Love Eat with Celebrity Chef Sarab

The Booster Club proudly invites you to a Southeast Asian cooking demonstration followed by lunch with Singaporean celebrity chef, Sarab Kapoor, featuring Thai, Indonesian, Singaporean, and Indian cuisines on Friday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the APS Lifestyle Gallery in the Boat Quay area. Tickets are $70 per person and include a complimentary cookbook by the chef (a $35 value), lunch, and a goodie bag. Purchase your tickets at the Booster Booth or online at sasboosterstore.com.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1q3J11u

PTA Coffee this Friday!

Join us for a PTA coffee on Friday, April 1 in the PTA office from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Enjoy coffee, tea, and refreshments while you learn about what the PTA does, how we help the school, and ways you can get involved in 2016-17. There are so many ways to get involved with your child's school community. We can help you find the right fit. No job is too small and the big jobs, we will tackle together!

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Open House on April 12

Join us on April 12 for a look at our preschool through grade two from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Registration is required. Book now for a limited space in either our preschool and pre-kindergarten tour or our kindergarten through grade two tour. Register at http://ift.tt/1LT7G2n

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Booster Senior Scholarships

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Cook Love Eat with Celebrity Chef Sarab

PTA Coffee this Friday!

The Epitome of Modern Jewelry From London

RUIFIER, founded by London based designer Rachel Shaw, has been creating unique and whimsical jewelry designs for the modern-day. Her works can been seen gracing the pages of magazines and worn on the red carpets by celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Saldana, Ellie Goulding, Emma Robberts, Lily Allen and Natalie Imbruglia to name a few. With RUIFIER's adaptable and stackable pieces it is easy to individualize and create a new look everyday to suit your style.

RECENT EDITORIALS

Tatler Magazine - March 2016
Featuring Ruifier Animaux Patch Ring

Cosmopolitan UK - July 2015
Featuring Ruifier Petit Shay Ring

U Magazine - July 2015
Featuring Ruifier Petit Lei Pendant

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4 Things to Check Before Taking an Antidepressant

4-Things-to-Check-Before-Taking-an-Antidepressant What if I told you that the vast majority of the time, taking an antidepressant for depression is like taking a Tylenol for a shard of glass in your foot. Wouldn’t you rather just remove it? You might not even know that removal is an option if you believe that depression is an inherited disease you’re destined to struggle with for life.

Depression (and anxiety and OCD and ADHD…) is a symptom of mismatch, often bodily in nature. Healing the body can be the first and most critical step to reversing the diagnosis and the experience of low moods, hopelessness, irritability, sleep disturbance, brain fog, and fatigue.

Psychiatry, unlike other fields of medicine, is based on a highly subjective diagnostic system. Essentially you sit in the office with a physician and you are labeled based on the doctor’s opinion of the symptoms you describe. There are no tests. You can’t pee in a cup or give a drop of blood to be analyzed for a substance that definitively indicates that “you have depression” much in the way a blood test can tell you that you have diabetes or are anemic.

This is why it’s all the more important to explore reversible causes of what we are calling depression.

Here are four critical considerations before you hand that prescription slip to your friendly pharmacist:

Thyroid madness

Through my own experience with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, I have learned that this chronic autoimmune condition can look psychiatric, but that it is also reversible. I’m living proof!

Thyroid imbalance can cause anxiety, depression, cloudiness, weight gain, poor concentration in addition to cold and exercise intolerance, dry skin, and hair loss. You’re wearing socks to bed, pooping once a week, and penciling in your eyebrows. In postpartum thyroiditis, this presentation is typically preceded by a period of hyperthyroidism where women can feel over-energized, suffer from insomnia, diarrhea, anxiety, and precipitous weight-loss – these are the women who “bounce back” quickly after the baby only to be peeling themselves off the ground 9 months later. For those already diagnosed and on a synthetic T4 compound like Synthroid, adjustments to combination hormones may be needed.

You wouldn’t want to take Zoloft for a treatable thyroid condition, would you?

Just a spoonful of sugar?

If you’re anything like the rodents who find sugar to be more addictive than cocaine, then you are living under the influence. You are “hangry” all the time, irritable and anxious when you can’t eat immediately.

It’s in almost every packaged food. Seriously. Look for it and you will find it. It may come with different labels — cane sugar, crystalline fructose, high fructose corn syrup — but it’s all sugar. This inflammatory and supersensory stimulant is behind much of what we are calling “psychiatric” including panic attacks, brain fog, fatigue, and depression. Blood sugar instability comes in the form of insulin resistance and diabetes as well as reactive hypoglycemia. The good news is that it is diet reversible in a matter of weeks!

Foods that freak your brain out

Two of the most processed foods are wheat and dairy. They are also in just about every bite an American takes. Increasing evidence is pointing a finger at these foods and their potential to cause mood and cognitive symptoms including depression. Gluten, soy, and corn have been identified as allergenic foods and a leading speculation as to how these foods became and are becoming more allergenic is the nature of their processing, hybridization, genetic modification, and pesticide spraying rendering them unrecognizable and triggering to our immune systems. Gluten (and processed dairy), when digested, result in peptides that, once through the gut barrier, can stimulate the brain and immune system in unpredictable ways. We are now beginning to understand how and why they are so addictive and why it may be so worth it to detox!

A simple vitamin deficiency?

One of the most remarkable papers I have read in the psychiatric literature was about a 57 year old woman who was treated with months of both antipsychotic and antidepressant medications and given two rounds of electroconvulsive treatment before anyone bothered to check her vitamin B12 level.

Her symptoms were years in the making including tearfulness, anxiety, movement abnormalities, constipation, lethargy, and eventually perceptual disturbances (hearing her name called) and the ultimate in severe psychiatric pathology: catatonia. Despite her inpatient treatment, she remained suicidal, depressed, and lethargic.

Within two months of identifying her deficiency, and subsequent B12 treatment, she reverted to her baseline of 14 years previous, and remained stable with no additional treatment.

If this is not a wake up call to the average psychiatric prescriber, I’m not sure what is. Much of what we attribute to serotonin and dopamine “deficiencies” melts away under the investigative eye of a more personalized style of medicine that seeks to identify hormonal, nutritional, and immune imbalances that can“look” psychiatric in nature.

Get to the root

Before you consider a psychiatric prescription, you may also want to look at your other prescriptions including birth control, statins, Tylenol, and antibiotics.

Take the invitation that your symptoms are offering you – begin to explore what could be driving your struggle and find a new kind of health through a truce with your body.

The post 4 Things to Check Before Taking an Antidepressant appeared first on Kelly Brogan MD.

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Marmot Space Walk Jacket and Edge Insulated Pants Review

Skiing, sledding, hiking and building an igloo: Winter is a great time for kids to be outside & enjoy the snow. So that he does not get cold, our son wore the Marmot Space Walk Jacket and Edge Insulated Pants - which we review here.

Winter, also known to parents as the time where you need to get ready 15 minutes before you plan to leave - because your little ones need help dressing up in the multitude of layers we make them wear so they do not get cold. Because only when they’re not cold they actually enjoy being outdoors (much like adults, really). We tested the Marmot Space Walk Jacket and Edge Insulated Pants during the last four months outside while alpine skiing, sledding, building snowmen and XC skiing.

Space Walk Jacket

The Space Walk Jacket in Size XS equals size 110 and weighs 512 g. Our son loved the colour combination of orange and reds, and we too really liked it. Outside a waterproof & breathable Marmot MemBrain® Fabric keeps snow and moisture at bay, while on the inside a Thermal R 100 g insulation ensures generated warmth stays inside. The hood is removable, and a really good fit, even over a bobble hat. The Powder Skirt keeps the snow out and is extremely useful for little skiers and playing in the snow. It has a silicone band on the inside which keeps it in place and has two levels of tightness. In the back, chin and neck a fleece lining makes it comfortable against the skin and likely helps with breathability, too. What we found overkill were the six pockets, we could have done easily with only the one large mesh pocket on the inside (which is great to store beanie, neck warmer and gloves!) and one of the outside pockets. Our son never used the Velcro hand pockets nor the other two pockets on the inside. The hem is adjustable, though with the toggles in the pockets it is difficult to do so - happily we never needed it. The sleeves have Velcro closures and also can be adjusted, and most importantly are wide enough so gloves can be worn underneath the sleeves to keep the snow out. The jacket closes high and our son found the area in the front of the face constricting, something we solved by leaving the zipper always a couple of centimetre open.

In terms of warmth, we feel the jacket (and pants for that matter) are warm till -10°C with a thin midlayer on (plus normal clothes), probably more with a thicker midlayer. The jacket has plenty of space underneath for layering, and our son never was cold in a variety of activities and weather conditions. It gives little skiers and climbers great freedom of movement, and the Powder Skirt ensures no cold and wet snow comes inside. After four months of use and a couple of washes the jacket also still looks like new, also at high-stress areas like the cuffs and back. Overall our son really liked his Space Walk Jacket - it is warm, has nice colours and is easy for him to put on and off on his own.

Get the Marmot Space Walk Jacket right now with great discounts at Bergfreunde.co.uk, Backcountry, Campsaver, evo or REI.com.

Edge Insulated Pants

In size XS the Edge Insulated Pants weighs 444 g. They are, as the name suggests, insulated pants, made of the proprietary Marmot MemBrain® fabric on the outside which makes the pants water-resistant, while on the inside a Thermal R™ insulation keeps little winter lovers warm. We found the internal flex boot gaiters great to keep shoes & socks dry from the inside, and the reinforced inside leg is useful for skiing as well as scrambling on rocks. The waist is adjustable via Velcros on the inside, but sadly the adjustment is only minimal - we feel a bit more adjustment in width or a stretchy waist could have been better and would possibly make it possible to use the pants two winter seasons. The removable suspenders where great, and the soft inside lining makes it easy to put the pants on over other pants. We never used the three pockets on the pants, so maybe it’d make sense to get rid of at least the two zippered pockets.

Putting the pants on is easy thanks to the smooth lining and it stays well in place with the adjustable suspenders and button closure. After four months of use outside the Edge Insulated Pants still looks like new after a couple of washes. The Marmot MemBrain® fabric kept the snow & wetness always reliable outside and it was easy to brush off dirt of the pants. They allow for great freedom of movement, be it scrambling up the snow hills along the streets, climbing on the playground or Alpine and XC skiing. The sizing is good for kids between 108 and 112 cm, though if your child is wearing more than one baselayer the waist might get tight (we just left the button open). Asides from these little things from us parents our son liked his Edge Insulated Pants: They were toasty, allowed him to go sledding on his pants down steep snow hills and also looked cool!

Buy the Marmot Edge Insulated Pants at Backcountry, Bergfreunde.co.uk, Campsaver or evo - all of them have great offers on the pants thanks to their winter sales!

Disclaimer: The jacket and pants have been provided by Marmot for review. This does not influence the article as I maintain full editorial control of the content published on this site.

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Monday, March 28, 2016

is it healthy to take a Steam Bath Daily?

Is Taking a Steam Bath Daily Healthy?

taking a steam bath daily

Numerous medical studies have proved that steam baths provide many health and beauty benefits. A steam bath not only opens pores that allow impurities to leave the body, but it will improve circulation, soothe achy joints and relaxes tired muscles. In a vast majority of cases, how often people use steam baths is a personal matter, but the question still remains, is a daily steam bath healthy? Fortunately, the answer is yes…but.

Yes…But?

In colonial times, Benjamin Franklin took daily steam baths by an open window. He believed that once the steam drew toxins from the body, fresh air would cause them to evaporate. In colonial times, hot baths with lots of steam were the prescribed treatment for many ailments.

Not much has changed from colonial times to the present. There are many people who enjoy the health–and social–benefits offered with steam baths. Fortunately, many medical practitioners endorse this, but with a caveat: watch the duration.

Generally speaking, a daily steam bath taken by a healthy person poses no health risks. The danger that hides in the shadows is when there are extenuating health circumstances that might be affected by those steam baths. For example, people with heart ailments should exercise caution when using steam baths due to the added stress posed by such a regimen. This is not to say that they should not use steam baths, just that they should exercise caution when doing so. The key, in these cases, is held by that patient’s doctor, who should be consulted prior to using a steam bath.

Even for people who are generally heathy, however, the duration of steam baths–not necessarily their frequency–should be kept at 20-30 minutes per day. Doing this every day by a healthy person should pose no health risks.

At Perfectbath.com, we’re not in the business of dispensing medical advice. The only person who should be advising you in such situations is your physician. We can point to the numerous benefits that have been and continue to be enjoyed by those who use steam baths for their health benefits. Further, anyone, healthy or not, should seek the advice of their physician prior to beginning a regimen of regular steam baths.

At Perfectbath.com, we can assist you with any questions you might have about steam baths and steam showers for your home. Contact us today for more information about how you can enjoy the full benefits of steam baths for both your physical and mental health right in your own home.

Contributed by:Aaron Gruenke foremost Sauna and Bath expert.

The post is it healthy to take a Steam Bath Daily? appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

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3 Tips for Selling Your Home During Holidays

Thinking about selling your home on holidays? Fortunately, we’ll give some tips that might help you selling your home during holidays, such as: minimizing holiday decorations, keeping it clean, and pricing it right.

Below are 3 tips for selling your home during holidays:

Minimizing Holiday Decorations
Not everyone has the same love of holiday decorations, and poorly maintained, tacky, or overly religious displays can be a turnoff for potential buyers. Keep the seasonal decorations simple and easy to maintain.

That applies to the outside as well as the inside of your home – avoid browning out the neighborhood with your awesome light display. Source: AJC

Keeping It Clean
Keeping the home free of tracked-in mud, snow, and other debris is even tougher in the winter months, and arguably even more important. Vacuum well and vacuum often.

Don’t neglect the outside. Bare trees may show areas of your home that are usually hidden; make sure these areas are clean and presentable. Deal with any cosmetic maintenance issues such as leaf-filled gutters. Keep your yard raked free of leaves to the extent possible and keep your driveway, sidewalk, and front steps free of snow. Source: FoxBusiness

Pricing it Right
Buyers at this time of year are typically motivated and not interested in dickering.

The post 3 Tips for Selling Your Home During Holidays appeared first on Gary Wong Realty Vancouver, BC.

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Sunday, March 27, 2016

Open House on April 12

Join us on April 12 for a look at our preschool through grade two from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Registration is required. Register at http://ift.tt/1LT7G2n

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1PzKGAb

1978

When Asian Civilisations Museum curator Mr. David Henkel was still a student at Singapore American School, he would attend Sunday school at Wesley Methodist Church. He would sometimes sneak out of the church to visit the nearby National Museum of Singapore, never imagining that he would one day become the curator for Southeast Asia, overseeing some of the collections displayed there that belong to the National Heritage Board.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1Unh7df

1973

Search the online archives of PublicationSG of the National Library Board (Singapore), and you'll find the eight known publications by the "Singapore American School Literary Society." By law, all such works had to be registered and a sample copy placed on file in the official state library. And if you were to unearth the entries under MC (P) 1449/74, you'd deduce that between December 1973 and May 1975 on the campus of Singapore American School, a science teacher was actually a pun-spouting supervillain, the physical education coach had supernatural powers to fight demonic laziness, and that the quiet algebra teacher was really a world-class secret agent.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1SoObxU

1956

The history of The American School in Singapore is fairly well-covered in the publication American Association of Singapore—50th Anniversary—1917-1967. Some of the details are omitted though, and this summary will add those few things that I still recall. As it happens, I am the only surviving member of the original board of directors, so any suggested corrections by others can only be based on interpretation.

from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/1Unh6WI

1956

In 1962, 300 students moved into a new campus on King's Road. The facility was the pride and joy of those directly connected with it and of the numerous American business firms and other organizations that provided part of the funding. Citibank provided the King's Road land to the school at 15% of its value, and AIA offered a low-interest loan. American companies donated everything from drinking fountains and movie projectors to library books and fuel for the bulldozers. In all, 37 parents and 42 companies raised $150,000.

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The Week In Review 231

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” - Lewis Carroll

News

Outdoor Blogger friends, do join the Bergfreunde Affiliate Programme and earn some money with your reviews! It’s easy and a great way to help you cover the costs of running your blog.

Enjoy a weekend at the Starlight Room in the Dolomites.

The Social Travel Summit 2016 goes to Inverness.

Shaping an industry.

Outdoorline.sk has a great looking new webshop!

Win a Mammut Daypack.

The latest Mountain Podcast is out!

How to cooprtate with bloggers. [German]

You know you want to: Take 20% Off One Full-Price Item at Backcountry.com with the Coupon Code: MAR20.

Head to the REI OUTLET to save on Top Brand Outdoor Closeouts!

Trip Reports

Still in the mode for ski-touring? Check out the Graubünden Haute Route.

Erik, Jakke & Tuomas’ Pallas adventure is also sublime.

In California’s Desert Father and Daughter Find the Sublime.

La Grave.

Bikepacking from Berlin to Cologne.

Martin enjoys a white spring begin on the Krummbachstein. [German]

The Illusion of Control.

A ski-tour to Piz Beverin. [German]

Scott Secco’s Raw 100.

Forrest crosses the Southern Alps in New Zealand.

Mont Dolent Traverse.

Very cool: 10 Australian alpine huts you should visit!

Bikepacking the Altravesur in Southern Spain.

Tour Aotearoa 2016 - bikepacking the length of New Zealand.

Packrafting in Marocco. [German]

A week of freeriding in Davos. [German]

David explores the Culture of Nature in Upland Japan.

Bishop Pass.

Gear Reviews

Rob Greenfield’s 111 Possessions.

Bakpocket Deluxe Adventurers Hammock Review.

Patagonia Merino Daily T-Shirt Review.

Traveling light and self-contained by bike.

Alex reviews the Grivel G1 New Classic crampons.

Testing the new MRS Alligator 2S on the Ardèche in France. [German]

Did this article make you want to go outside? Great! Be even more inspired more and subscribe to the Newsletter and follow along on Instagram and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!

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Friday, March 25, 2016

Is it good to Use Wood in Bathroom?

Using Wood in the Bathroom

One of the top trends for 2016 bathroom design is wood. Wood in the bathroom is not necessarily a new idea, but for 2016, wood will no longer take a backseat in the bathroom design, and instead it will be a major component in the contemporary bathroom space. Designs range from ninety percent wood that covers the appliances in addition to walls, floors, and ceiling, to a minimal amount of wood that only covers small sections here or there. Traditionally, bathrooms with a wood-theme are normally rustic and country-themed, often giving them a more antique appearance. However, the contemporary wood bathroom does not have an old-style design, but rather uses the wood to enhance the quality of the space and create a luxurious and sauna-like feel to the whole bathroom, giving wood a whole new meaning with the modern edge. We’ll discuss some of the trends and possible design options in the details below.

Max It Out
One of the quickly emerging design trends to feature a bathroom completely surrounded by wood fixtures, including the flooring, walls, and ceiling. Now, we know you might be wondering how this could ever work, but if done right, it’s not such a bad idea and it can give your bathroom an exotic, yet contemporary look. This contemporary design features wood floors with selective wood walls. There is a lovely wood bench by the tub, and the tub also features plated wood on the surface to flawlessly integrate with the rest of the bathroom.

USe of Wood in Bathroom Photo Credit: coswick

For a slightly more rustic look, this bathroom features two solid walls with wood drawers surrounding the small floating vanity, as well. The hanging light fixtures also add to the rustic feature of this bathroom design, and give it a classy, sophisticated experience. The other half of the wall is white, which allows for the bathroom to seem bigger than it actually is.

Rustic wood bathroom Photo Credit: dovcorbathrooms

This lovely bathroom blends the old with the new, with an even-toned wood color that is slightly between the first two. With a cream-colored laminate floor and white bathtub, the viewer’s eyes are immediately directed to the beautiful woof fixtures within the bathroom. The walls are made from wood, as is the ceiling and the floating vanity. The tubular lighting and swinging towel rack give this bathroom a modern rustic feel and complement the wood design.

using wood in bathroom for rustic look Photo Credit: Pop Home Décor

Another example of a full-bodied wooded bathroom is this small contemporary design that is fully wood aside from the white tub interior and the vanity countertop. Even the mirror is nearly invisible at first glance, because it simply reflects the wood from the barnyard door interest. This bathroom is also very minimalistic, creating small, nearly sightless hooks in the bathroom for towels, a clear shower curtain, and using only a single, undecorated light bulb for artificial lighting. The sunroof above the shower provides enough light during the day that it doesn’t seem like more intricate lighting is really necessary. Even the tub/shower features only a small, single floating shelf to house the toiletries, leaving the rest of the room to show off.

Wood walls in bathroom Photo Credit: Freshome

This conceptual bathroom design features a sleek, contemporary look with extravagance in its spacious layout. Aside from the dividing wall that goes to the shower, this bathroom is almost completely solid wood from the floors and ceiling to the fountain-like whirlpool tub. The greys and browns work very well together, making this bathroom an ideal fit for the modern home.

fresh outdoor feel in bathroom using wood Photo Credit: Trendir

Finally, this bathroom does adhere to more of a rustic feel, but we couldn’t help but include it because we just like the design so much. Not only does this bathroom feature a full-wooded design, but it we really love the loft-style for the bathroom. The hanging light bulbs, washtub towel holder, vessel sink, and towel stand all work together to give this bathroom a homey, country vibe.

using reclaimed wood in bathroom Photo Credit: DigsDigs

Subtle Undertones
Think an all-wood bathroom is just a little too much for your design ideas? Not a problem. There are still plenty of ways to incorporate wood design sparingly within your bathroom if that’s something you might be interested in doing. Below, is a list of subtle wood designs that we thought were effective, yet not overbearing.

This simple design incorporates a slab of wood for the minimalistic, yet aesthetically pleasing floating vanity. It adds to the trend of wood in the bathroom, but isn’t overly excessive and gets the point across without going overboard.

tree slab vanity top Photo Credit: Houzz

This bathroom features a solid wood floor and includes a matching vanity sink and tub design that is sand-colored and meant to accentuate the wood floor. The bathroom looks trendy and definitely the wood feature, without letting the wood take over.

wood flooring in bathroom Photo Credit: BlogRollCenter

Finally, this lovely modern bathroom features wood in its eloquent design, and it is beautiful incorporated to the pristine, white design with marble tile. This bathroom design does a great job of maximizing the 2016 emphasis on wood in the bathroom, and the outcome is stunning.

using wood accents in bathroom Photo Credit: Houzz

We hope these designs have given you an example of what the contemporary wood bathroom is all about. What are your thoughts? Is the wood design something that you would consider incorporating into your bathroom remodel, or do you think it should be kept for the more rustic and eccentric designs?

Contributed by: Perfectbath.com your bathroom fixture experts

The post Is it good to Use Wood in Bathroom? appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

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Which Realtor Is Right For You – My 5 Requirements If I Were You

So You’re Hiring a Realtor?

But You’re Not Sure Who To Hire?

When Realtors hire Realtors, Want To Know How They Choose?

There are times when a Realtor would hire another Realtor for their services. Here are some of the reasons:

They don’t want to sell their own house by themselves because they are not covered under errors & omissions insurance.
They’re looking to buy or sell a home in another province or country and they have no clue how things are done in that place

I hear a variety of answers when I ask what’s important to people when it comes to their Realtor. They often say the noble things like honest, full disclosure, knowledgeable, helps them get top dollar when selling or helps them get a good deal when buying, but what surprises me is that what they say doesn’t always reflect what they do.

People say they want honesty and ethical but they instruct their Realtor to do unethical things. Or they say they care about knowledgeable, but they choose the Realtor because of the kickback the Realtor offers. So, it’s quite interesting to see that.

Here are my top 5 requirements if I were choosing a Realtor:

Knowledgeable and willing to educate – they must know what they’re doing and be willing to educate me on the process
Willing to find the answer, constantly learning – they don’t have to be a know it all, but they have to be willing to go and find the answer
Ethical and Honesty through Full Disclosure – this is a given, and full disclosure is pretty clear to spot, if the Realtor keeps just saying “sign here, sign there” without explaining anything, then I know…
Thinks of Building a Long Term Relationship with Me (care about my long term goals) – I want a Realtor who cares about my long term goals.

The post Which Realtor Is Right For You – My 5 Requirements If I Were You appeared first on Gary Wong Realty Vancouver, BC.

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The #1 Thing You Need To Do To Achieve Breakthrough

Ever wondered what the secret is to the Super Successful?

Always wishing your life had the same kind of success, the same kind of breakthrough?

Tired of constantly struggling in your career and relationships?

The #1 thing that separates the average and the high performance individuals is the amount of action you take. You want to be Extraordinary, then you better be taking Extraordinary Actions!

You can’t expect to be a Superstar, to be an Extraordinary performer by doing ordinary actions!

You want amazing, massive results, then start taking extraordinary, massive action!

This applies in every aspect of your life. You probably know married couples who have ordinary marriages and you think that your marriage is supposed to be like that, well IT’S NOT! Your marriage is not supposed to be ORDINARY. It’s supposed to be EXTRAORDINARY!

But that ain’t gonna happen with ordinary actions. You gotta step it up! Take it to the next level! Do whatever it takes!

Do you have that attitude? The “Do Whatever It Takes” attitude? Because that’s the attitude that’ll take you places in life.

You wonder how the other kids at school always get good grades and you’re wondering why you can’t seem to do well.

The post The #1 Thing You Need To Do To Achieve Breakthrough appeared first on Gary Wong Realty Vancouver, BC.

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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Cheesecakes {Vegan, GF}

It’s finally Spring! I couldn’t be happier. The days are getting longer and warmer and soon there will be so many green veggies around that I’ve been missing/craving. It’s also almost Easter which basically means one thing – me eating all the chocolate.

I’ve already had my fair share of hot cross buns but I’ve been holding off on the Easter chocolate until now. I made these little dairy-free peanut butter cheesecakes spring-themed with some help from chocolate-covered cornflakes and little, naturally coloured, home-made easter eggs! I mean I was pretty bad at rolling the balls of ground almond dough into egg shapes but at least I attempted it. My brother told me they looked like giant pine nuts – whatever :/

The filling here is a simple one, getting its bulk from coconut milk yogurt and Whole Earth peanut butter, only lightly sweetened with maple syrup. I found it much quicker to make the filling this way rather than using the more popular base of soaked, blended cashews. The bonus is that you also get the probiotics from the yogurt as it’s a fermented food. I thought it would be a helpful alternative for those of you who don’t have a high-speed blender (which you normally need for those vegan cashew cheesecakes seen all over instagram!).

I developed this recipe in collaboration with Whole Earth who make my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE peanut butter! I’m often guilty of swirling a fair amount of their pb into pinhead oatmeal along with some chopped dates as a post-uni pick-me-up.

Whole Earth is running a competition where you can win a whole YEAR’S SUPPLY of peanut butter (ummm dream come true) – all you need to do is create your own Easter themed peanut butter recipe (or make my peanut butter cheesecakes!) and post a pic on instagram tagging @WholeEarth to enter. Happy baking!! <3

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Cheesecakes {Vegan, GF}

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Serves: 8 muffin-sized cheesecakes

Ingredients

1 x recipe for mini eggs (see recipe below)

Base + Topping Mixture:

150g (5.3oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2 tbsp (15g) coconut oil
70g (2 cups) Whole Earth cornflakes

Cheesecake Layer:

2 tbsp (15g) coconut oil
170g (3/4 cup) dairy-free coconut yogurt
75g (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp) Whole Earth smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the base + topping mixture:

Place the chocolate and coconut oil into a small pot and set over a low heat. Stir constantly until just melted then take off the heat. Stir in the cornflakes.
Line 8 cups of a muffin tin with paper muffin liners. Take half of the cornflake mixture and divide it among the 8 liners (around 1 tbsp mixture per liner). Place into the freezer to set for 5 minutes.

Make the cheesecake filling:

Melt the coconut oil in a small pot over a low heat. Take off the heat and stir in the coconut yogurt, peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth.
Take the muffin tin out of the freezer. Divide the cheesecake filling among the 8 liners. Place back into the freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and top with the remaining cornflake mixture.
Decorate with the mini eggs and place back into the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
To serve: remove from the freezer, unpeel the paper wrappers and leave to soften (10-30 minutes). Store any leftovers in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer in a lidded container for a month.

Mini Eggs

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Serves: 30-40 eggs

Ingredients

40g (1/2 cup) ground almonds
1 tbsp maple syrup
~1/2 tbsp Whole Earth smooth peanut butter
colours: natural liquid food colourings, beetroot juice/ crushed freeze-dried raspberries, spirulina powder/matcha powder, turmeric

Instructions

Mix together the ground almonds, maple syrup and peanut butter until the mixture clumps into a ball (if it seems like it isn't sticking together enough just add a bit more peanut butter). Divide the mixture between 4 bowls.
To each bowl add a different colour - you can use liquid food colourings (it's quite easy to find natural food colourings in the supermarkets now) or the suggested colours from the ingredients list.
I left ¼ plain, coloured ¼ with a pinch of turmeric, ¼ with a pinch of crushed freeze dried berries, and ¼ with a pinch of spirulina.
Take a small ball of mixture and roll it into a ball then shape into an egg. Repeat until all the mixture has been used up.

Thanks to Whole Earth for sponsoring this post and making the best peanut butter in the world! All opinions are my own.

The post Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Cheesecakes {Vegan, GF} appeared first on Izy Hossack - Top With Cinnamon.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

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Does an Infrared Saunas help with Weight Loss

infrared’s fight against obesity

Obesity, we all know it, we all see it, but do we really understand it? Obesity is one of the most silent, yet widespread health epidemics that our generation faces today. In silence, millions of people bear the constant burden of suffering through obesity alone.

According to the American Heart Association, “Most Americans older than 20 are overweight or obese. Over 159 million U.S. adults – or about 69 percent – are overweight or obese.”

It is all around us, yet is never fully addressed in a way that is both healthy and supportive. At Perfectbath.com , we understand that obesity is not the result of poor lifestyle choices, but natural biological factors that are regulating our weight. Working together with your body, far infrared saunas are a healthy, effortless weight loss solution with proven results.

Obesity can often be mistreated with oversimplified answers. As with the emotional complexity that comes with obesity, there are so many solutions for your body beyond exercise and diet. For many individuals, they are unable to achieve weight loss even with continual efforts. So why is it, that one person can lose weight more easily than another? Well, the answer for many people is an internal biological factor; their body is overly acidic.

“ When a system is too acidic, the body produces more insulin than usual. The more insulin that is available, the higher chance the fat will be stored rather than burned as energy, making it difficult for weight loss. To protect itself the body will hold onto the weight” – evolutionhealth

This is why at PerfectBath.com , we believe the most effective way to combat obesity is to treat it at its core with non-invasive infrared heat. 100% ceramic heaters emit temperatures typically between 90 to 140 °F. This is the most effective temperature to set your far infrared sauna because your fat will become water-soluble at 100°F. This is when the heat penetrates deep into your skin to move the water through your body and is eventually extracted from your body, resulting in natural weight loss. The use of the sauna for weight management is great especially for those with mobility issues because it has the effect of not just sweating and water loss but your body actually burns calories in a far infrared sauna by raising your pulse while at the same time lowering your bodies blood pressure making it safe for most anyone to use.

If your body has a naturally high level of acid, the deep energy of far infrared saunas will work internally to push the toxins out of your body. Obesity can be debilitating emotionally and physically. With the relaxing benefits of infrared saunas working with your body instead of against it, feel yourself transform into the person you want to be and the person we always knew you were. View our Saunas to see how you can begin your journey towards wellness today!

Contributed by: Perfectbath.com your sauna and bath experts

The post Does an Infrared Saunas help with Weight Loss appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Regent at King Edward – A Courtly Condo Concept

You needn’t be an ardent monarchist to appreciate The Regent at King Edward near Queen Elizabeth Park. Urban royals like you can look forward to well-appointed interiors and extra-high ceilings to match modern architecture that will not disappoint. Penthouse units will enjoy the added benefit of private rooftop balconies. The developer rightly boasts that these homes are “transit-oriented.” They provide unparalleled access to the King Edward Canada Line and major bus routes. Besides numerous parks, including crown jewel Queen Elizabeth Park, the address also sits close to some of the city’s finest eateries and numerous shopping opportunities.

The post The Regent at King Edward – A Courtly Condo Concept appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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Teaser Graubünden Haute Route

In late February and early March I made a visit to Switzerland to attempt the Graubünden Haute Route. Sadly the high avalanche danger and changing weather cut us short - here’s a first taste of four days ski-touring in Graubünden.

The Graubünden Haute Route is a five days/ four nights ski-touring trip where you visit four beautiful huts, ski great powder, test your mountaineering skills while climbing some beautiful peaks and enjoy great scenary. Well, that’s at least the normal plan, but because of not really good weather and high avalanche danger our trip was cut a wee bit short. Stay tuned for a full day-to-day account of my Haute Route experience, but for now enjoy these fine selection of photos!

Day one we skied from Madulain to the D’Es-Cha Hut, where we spent in the end two nights because we didn’t want to risk our lives in highly dangerous avalanche terrain. It’s a beautiful hut with great wardens, a wide selection of board and card games as well as interesting magazines - so we didn’t get bored while waiting for better weather.

In the end we skied back to Madulain, took the loveley UNESCO World Heritage train to Bergün and took the long way up to the Kesch Hut.

Reto, the warden, welcomed us in heinous winds to his hut with a very taste cup of hot, sweet tea. His wife Ursina cooked us a delicious dinner and we selpt great - read for our fourth day, with high hopes of better weather yet again.

But the better weather never came, so we skied back down to Bergün through sweet powder forests! Take a peek at the Flickr Album and keep your eyes on this blog as the full story will come this month!

Disclaimer: This trip was made possible with the support of Graubünden and Switzerland. As usual I maintain full editorial control of the content published on this site.

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