Archive - March 2018

3 Lifestyle Changes That Can Keep Your Stress Levels Under Check

3 Lifestyle Changes That Can Keep Your Stress Levels Under Check

Truth be told, stress is rooted in our systems. You can’t ignore stress but you can ignore the situations or people who cause it and control how you respond to it. Psychologists reveal unique strategies that can help you overcome stress by tracking down the trigger points of your stress, your response and your coping mechanism.

Remember, your emotions don’t control you, you control them. The moment you allow your thoughts and emotions to take over you is the point you destroy your mental health and make yourself sick. Managing stress not only improves your mental health but also boosts your immune system, promotes good health and helps you become more productive. We further discuss the science of how stress takes over and affects your physical and mental health.

Science behind Stress

When you encounter stress, your body undergoes both physical and mental changes that affect the overall functioning of your body. During high levels of stress, chemicals like, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the body causing the fight or flight hormones to release from the adrenal glands. The release of these hormones acts as triggers for rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and other psychological effects. If these problems are not looked after then they further end up transforming into chronic diseases like stomach ulcers, extreme weight loss, depression, and strokes.

Examine your lifestyle

The choices and decisions you make on daily basis influence your stress level. They may not be contributing to your stress directly but can hinder your progress to overcome it. The factors you need to keep in mind are:

Maintain a balance

Balancing friends, family, work and yourself can be very difficult. You can start small by prioritizing your attention and what you look at first. There might be things that are irrelevant and don’t add value to your life you can always skip them or leave them for later. However, it’s crucial you invest your time in doing the important tasks first and not procrastinate as it only adds up to stress.

Know your purpose in life

Most people find true connections in the family, loved ones, a profession, music, arts or serving humanity. To get rid of all the negativity in your life, you need to surround yourself with positive vibes, positive people and positive thoughts that contribute to your well-being rather than causing you stress.

Get enough sleep

Sleep plays a major role in recovering from stress. If you have trouble sleeping because of your worries, keep a notepad, or a recorder to record your dreams every night. Letting things out of your brain and sharing with someone helps you feel lightweight and makes moving on easier.

Establish healthy habits

Let go of all the unhealthy habits, be it drinking, smoking or gambling. Spending a lot of money on things that destroy your health will only cause more stress and more debt.

Find Support

Having a strong support system in your life helps in overcoming all the bad times and negativities in life. A strong support system motivates you and believes in your ability to do great things in life. Recovering from stress is always easier when you are surrounded by people who push you forward and help you in all situations.

You don’t always require support financially or physically, but mental and emotional support plays a crucial part in one’s life too. Although some people might hesitate in asking for help that doesn’t mean they are weak.

Change the way you think

Overthinking, extra stress and anxiety make you feel bad about yourself. You might blame yourself for everything that’s going wrong in your life and focus only on the negativities. This leads to chronic negative thoughts.

Constant negative thoughts can make you feel depressed, insecure or anxious. You can reach out to a counselor to help you control your thoughts and teach you different techniques to stay in control of your emotions.

The good thing is that you can contact mental health professionals using your laptop and smartphone without having to visit a healthcare facility. This is because like most medical practitioners, counselors also have incorporated telemedicine into their practice.

Solve the riddle

Digging into the core of the problem will help you identify the real reason for the stress. There are things you can’t control but you should try your best to change the things that are on your hands.

Rice Cooker – The Checklist While Buying

Rice is a versatile food, which can be had in many combinations and made into several mouth-watering dishes. However, making perfectly cooked rice can be difficult, which is the reason why you need an electric rice cooker. When you are looking to buy a new rice cooker for yourself, there are several factors that need to be kept in mind. There are so many different brands, rice cooker price and models available in the market, so how do you choose the best one for your needs?Here is a checklist to keep in mind when buying the perfect rice cooker for your home:

  1. Size of Your Rice Cooker

Whether you are cooking rice only for yourself, or for a family of 3 or 7 or more, you will need to purchase a rice cooker according to the size of the family. Ideally, a personal rice cooker is perfect if you want to cook rice only for yourself and a 3L rice cooker works perfectly for a family of 3 to 5 people, whereas a 5L rice cooker is apt for a larger family of up to 7 people. By taking into account the size of your family, you need to choose the size of your rice cooker accordingly so that you can always cook the needed amount of rice.

  1. The Price of the Rice Cooker

When looking for the best rice cooker to buy for your home, you also need to take into account the rice cooker price and invest in one according to your budget. Obviously, rice cookers with more advanced features and the ones with a larger capacity are more expensive as compared to the smaller, personal rice cookers. It is important to compare the different models of rice cookers and also check their prices before you decide to buy the best one for your home.

  1. Advanced Features of the Rice Cooker

When looking to buy a new rice cooker for your home, you obviously want to buy the best. This is the reason why it is important to look out for all the advanced features of the rice cooker. One of the must-have features of your new rice cooker is the ‘keep warm’ function. This function is especially important for keeping your rice warm and ready to eat without the hassle of reheating the rice after cooking.

  1. Induction Technology

Induction technology is extremely important in a rice cooker. This is because the induction technology will ensure that rice is always cooked evenly without leaving any grains uncooked or overcooked. The technology also ensures that you enjoy evenly cooked rice.

  1. Portable and Easy to Clean

A rice cooker, which is portable and easy to clean and maintain, is very important. You would like your new rice cooker to make your life simpler and portability and ease of cleaning are very important parts of buying a new rice cooker.

When looking for the best rice cooker for yourself, it is important to take into consideration factors such as features, rice cooker price, and many more. This will ensure that you pick the perfect rice cooker for you and your family.

THE DREAM HOME DEEP CLEAN-5 THINGS TO CONSIDER AFTER YOU MOVE

THE DREAM HOME DEEP CLEAN-5 THINGS TO CONSIDER AFTER YOU MOVE

Having a dream house is on almost every single human’s bucket list who is still breathing. You spend days and nights working hard and putting together enough money for that house of your dreams where you envision yourself living the rest of your life with your kids and grandkids. And finally, the day arrives when you break open your piggy bank and invest your savings for that house you fell in love at first sight.  However, when you finally get there, you are hit by a new reality of life because moving to your dream house is certainly a huge milestone. After unlocking this achievement, you wonder what is next.

More often than not people are unprepared for this phase of the move. Micro-focusing on just getting there makes us forget that we need to have a plan for later too. During this time, you should know what steps to take because getting it right the first time is the only option for that peaceful life you always imagined in your new house.

House fixing can be exciting and stressful simultaneously. And this is why jotting out a blueprint of your plan can be immensely profitable for you. Here are some things you should keep in mind while dealing with your new house.

 Safety First: Change Your Locks

The very first thing you need to absolutely do when the house is handed over to you and before you bring your family home, is to change the lock and passcode (if the house comes with an alarm system). Make sure every door has locks including the garage. When the house is up for grabs in the market, there are a lot of people who have access to the place including selling agents, maintenance workers, and the listing agents. The previous owners may also have many people in their circle who would have had access to it.

Know the Essentials: Circuit Breaker Box

In case of short circuits, you should know where the breaker is placed and exactly which corner you need to dash to in your house. It is best to invest some time in labeling the plugs and switches (if they aren’t already). It takes two to tango and two to label the board. It will be a game of a lot of hollering back and forth while you figure out which switch belongs to which room so it is best to be prepared by fully charging your cell phones or walkie-talkies.

Replace cooling and heating filters

You can save an arm and a leg by foreseeing required replacements especially the filters. Changing a disposable filter costs 4 dollars whereas changing a system (due to bad maintenance) would cost you 5k!

Closet System Installation

Make sure you know how much space your stuff is going to need and whether or not the existing closet system is good enough. It is best to redesign the closets according to your custom needs before moving in to avoid any unpleasant hassles later. You can install hanging rods, drawers or shelves so everything you own has a place in your new closet. If you are moving to New York City, then you’ve got a lot of options for reliable NYC Movers that would move your items safely.

Paint the House

Painting the house in advance before moving in can save you from all the arm days you will have to go through in moving and covering your furniture. Also, you will get some time to let that painful odor of fresh paint out of the house before shifting. If you are worried you do not know enough about the lighting in your new rooms that could affect the color of your paint, you can always apply swatches to test the shades and see if they work out with your walls.

Bonus: Deep Clean the Carpets

Experts recommend an annual appointment with the pros to deep clean carpets. What better day than the first day in your new house to begin the annual tenure? Spending a couple of hundred dollars to hire professional cleaning services to give your carpet a spa day is going to be worth it. Pros are equipped with better technology like steam-powered machines that can kill dust mites and germs. Make the most of your empty house and call them now.

Family Journey To Minneapolis: 6 Sights To Go With Kids

Family Journey To Minneapolis: 6 Sights To Go With Kids

Minneapolis is an exemplary modern destination with a fine developed manufacturing and business. At every step you can find slender skyscrapers, as well as spectacular glass buildings and just huge shopping centers.

Minneapolis attracts tourists with its modern, dynamic life, various attractions, cultural events, rich natural beauties and excellent opportunities for breathtaking activities.

Also, this city has become incredibly popular among visitors due to the large selection of family sights. So, where to go with kids while traveling to Minneapolis?

Theodore Wirth Regional Park

Theodore Wirth Park

Theodore Wirth Park is considered to be the biggest green area in the suburbs of Minneapolis. It includes 2 huge golf courses, Birch Pond, Wirth Lake and other amenities. Occupying the territory of over 759 acres, this picturesque park is a very interesting and worthy spot for visiting. In winter, its territory is fully equipped with excellent skiing and snowboarding slopes. Of course, rental sports equipment is also provided right there. In summer, visitors with children are offered with playgrounds, sports areas and many beautiful places for leisure walking.

Address: 1301 Theodore Wirth Pkwy, Golden Valley

Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday 6am-10pm

Knocker Squad

IMG_2736

The fans of unusual entertainments will definitely like Knocker Squad center, which is located at Minikahda Vista Park, St Louis Park city. Knocker Squad offers a lot of unusual games, but bubble soccer is the most unique and fun activity. First of all, you will be placed inside the transparent round sphere. After that you can enjoy bubble soccer with other participants, go through various obstacles, as well as just jump and run around in the ball. In short, the mass of positive and exciting emotions is guaranteed! By the way, in case you get tired of playing bubble soccer, there are many beautiful and interesting places for open-air sightseeing.

Address: Minikahda Vista Park, St Louis Park

Operating Hours: Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm

Depot Skating Rink

City Skate

Those who have long dreamed of enjoying ice or roller skating should clearly head to Depot Skating Rink while traveling to Minneapolis. It’s covered skating rink, so it’s available all year round. This center will be an interesting relaxing and leisure destination both for parents and their kids. There’s a rental of sports equipment, as well as professional instructors, which help to learn the basics of skating. Summing it up, Depot Skating Rink is a first-class area for skating regardless of the age and experience level of the visitor.

Address: 225 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis

Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday 9am-7pm

Mall of America

Mall Of America

Situated 10 miles south of downtown Minneapolis, in Bloomington, the famous Mall of America is one of the largest shopping complexes in North America. This shopping giant is simply huge: 4 levels of the mall host more than 520 stores, including such retail giants as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Sears. Also, the shopping center provides a multiple choice of entertainments: Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park with several roller coasters and a dozen other rides, Aquarium Underwater Adventures, a multiplex cinema with 14 rooms, LEGO center, as well as more than 20 restaurants are among them. Speaking of popularity, Mall of America is visited by about 40 million people every year.

Address: 60 E Broadway, Bloomington

Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-9.30pm, Sunday 11am-7pm

Bell Museum of Natural History

Bell Museum of Natural History Interiors July 22, 2009

Bell Museum is an excellent holiday option for a memorable family trip and a great way to diversify your weekend in Minneapolis. The visitors of this cultural establishment will be able to see how our planet looked several millions of years ago and what animals inhabited it. Among the greatest exhibits of the museum you’ll find interesting archaeological artifacts, as well as mock-ups of prehistoric animals, that lived on our planet during the era of dinosaurs. Bell Museum features enormous collections of wildlife and plants found around Minnesota as well as impressive dioramas of the state’s hands-on exhibits created to attract visitors of all ages. It’s an ideal spot to spend several hours, especially in case you want to find out more about Minnesota.

The museum is beautifully and interestingly decorated, and many of its masterpieces can be touched by hands, which will certainly please small explorers.

Address: 2088 Larpenteur Ave W, St Paul

Operating Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-7pm

Minnehaha Park

Minnehaha Falls

Minneapolis is renowned for its amazing natural sights. Thus, 193-acre riverfront Minnehaha Park is one of the most beautiful urban walking areas. It features a river that flows through the whole territory forming Minnehaha Falls – an incredible 53-feet waterfall edged by gorgeous limestone bluffs. The park is interesting for the fans of leisure walks, and creates convenient setting for admiring the local natural beauties.

Address: 4801 S Minnehaha Dr, Minneapolis

Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday 6am-10pm

Providing an extensive choice of brilliant entertainment venues, Minneapolis will be an excellent destination for having fun with the whole family. Beautiful park areas, breathtaking sports activities, striking roller-coasters, as well as saturated cultural program are able to satisfy kids of all ages. Of course, don’t forget to book MSP Airport car rental under 21 to quickly reach each of these attractions and fully enjoy your family journey to Minneapolis!

Eating In Frankfurt: Obligatory Places To Visit

Eating In Frankfurt: Obligatory Places To Visit

There are many reasons why you’re visiting Frankfurt this time. Someone prefers travelling alone or with friends. There is an international airport to make visits to your friends regular. Everything depends on how much time you have. Your city trip can be comfortable by using Frankfurt rental car service right here, in the airport. If you are limited in time, you should learn a couple of meals to love. Here are places that you are recommended to try.

Chopped Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

Market at Konstablerwache

The city space at the Konstablerwache station becomes a noisy platform with a vast number of tents. The aromatic meat, cheese, bread are sold every Thursday and Saturday from here. Travelling to Frankfurt the first time, you should come here to taste national cuisine. Thus, if you want to try something true German, you should start from Apfelwein. Apfelwein (apple wine) can be found in two different conditions: sweet and sour. Sweet wine is served with lemonade and sour is good with mineral water. The wine is served in a huge pitcher of national colors, so-called Bembel. The wine tastes like a cider but lighter a bit. It is pleasant and refreshing in a hot weather.

Apfelwein is not everything you should try in Germany. Let’s try to find something else. There are lots of specific dishes to try. So, how about tasting Rostis mit Grune Soße (potato pancakes baked with green sauce), an asparagus salad, and Handkase mit Musik (cheese balls)? Never forget: the green sauce is probably the best national dish in Frankfurt. It is made of herbs such as chives, parsley, sorrel, and many others that can be found only in the territory of Germany. The asparagus salad is also delicious. The ingredients for salad are masterfully marinated in vinegar and eaten with strawberries or other berries on the top.

The Handkase mit Musik is another local dish to try this evening. It is made of the cheese balls of sour milk. The cheese balls are decorated with onions on the top. The dish is served cold but still aromatic.

Allagash + lobster rolls = summer

Burger Baby

So, your traditional city lunch is finished. Of course, in Germany you want to have something special for dinner. How about burgers? If you like burgers you should visit Burger Baby at least once to come back here more and more! There are few dishes to share. The most popular dish is a regular-sized burger with your choice of toppings (cheese, avocado, sauce), and different fillers (BBQ bacon, chipotle-cheddar, and a plain burger), a Philly cheesesteak, and a basket of fries in addition.

Burger Baby’s also offers to try meat patties. The meat slices are cooked to a medium fry to be juicy and soft all together, melting in the mouth. Have you ever tried the cheesesteak? It can be easily your favorite dish in Frankfurt to eat. It is made of chopped meat, fresh mushrooms and cheese mixed together. It tastes marvelously. You will definitely order more than one portion for dinner. Honestly, don’t think that burgers are typical American attraction. There are places in Germany to try juicy and aromatic meats, better than Americans do.

Mel's Diner

Iimori Patisserie

If you like Japanese food, you shouldn’t wait for long and go to find it right here in Frankfurt. This bakery is the first place in the city to try traditional Japanese melon pan. What a surprise. You can find a shop and a restaurant here! The place is rather popular for visiting. It is recommended to book a table beforehand in the restaurant as it is difficult to find a free place in the evening and often during the day. The restaurant design is a unique mix of the tearoom in Versailles and up-to-date decoration.

The restaurant menu has everything you want to try, including traditional German breakfast of rolls and cold meat, Japanese meals, such as sushi, cucumber salad, popular miso soup, rolls, chicken and calamari rings, salmon, okonomiyaki, curry sauce and other spicy dishes from a foreign cuisine. Anyway, you’ll be surprised to meet them all here in Germany. Which one is your favorite? Whatever you have, the dishes are fresh and tasty.

What about the dessert? Traditional German dessert is a chocolate cake with green tea. Alternatively, you can order something like red bean cake, a cheesecake, almond or pear bakery, and mango and raspberry or other fruit puddings. You cannot find something chic for dessert here. But whatever you have, the taste is going to be incredible. You can’t wait to come back again and again.

Calamari Rings

Other Good Eats

There is one place for ice cream that only locals now. That’s why, after finishing your tasty dinner at Burger Baby, you should go to find Mint. This atmospheric place offers you to try the tastiest ice-cream ever. Which taste is your favorite? There are two popular tastes. They are dolce de leche and lime-mint. Now, it’s time for drinks. Apple wine is the best popular but not the only one available drink in Frankfurt. You should also stop by a great local brewery called Braustil. What kind of place is it? The brewery occupies a small space, but you are offered to have a meal outdoors, in the lovely garden terrace. You can try beer of different sorts, including the world known ale.

Beer (explore 2017-11-05)

And lastly, it would be great to get to one more interesting place for one more Must-try Frankfurt delicacy. The point is, Frankfurt it’s the one place where you can get a Chipotle burrito in Germany. Factually, this is one of few popular food spots in Europe to try this kind of burrito. So, travelling all over the country, try to leave some time at the end to make a stop by Chipotle at the Skyline Plaza in Frankfurt. It doesn’t take much time for your company, but the dish is worth trying to feel the real taste of German cuisine.

Have you been to Frankfurt recently? What are your favorite dishes there? Honestly, this is a favorable platform to find any dish of German specific you like.

What You Should Pack For A Beach Vacation

What You Should Pack For A Beach Vacation

When the heat and humidity become too much to bear, beach serves as an ideal vacation spot in summers. After all, what better way than this to beat the heat and that too with your girl gang? Sounds pretty cool and tempting, no? We bet you are drooling over the idea.

As soothing and fun the word beach alone sounds, a trip there can turn out to be a full fledge disaster if preparation isn’t done right. No matter how many days you intend to spend there, planning ahead of the day of departure is always a good idea to have the best trip possible.

Keeping in mind the ‘beachy’ needs, we have compiled for you a comprehensive guide, which can be used as a checklist. This way, you can make your trip a massive hit and yeah, thank us later.

Let’s do it, girls!

Clothing Items:

If you plan your clothing ahead of the time, we guarantee that you won’t miss out on any essential item as well as won’t end over packing.

Let’s start from the top. The first item that must go in your bag is a hat.

This piece is a must-have. It is an all-rounder and here’s why. You intend to be makeup free on your trip? No worries, just pop this on along with sunglasses. This is enough to make you appear as fully decked up!

Secondly, just crop it up, ladies! If there is one place where your crop top will look hit, it is the beach. They won’t take much space in your bag and combined with shorts, it will make a super stylish and comfortable combo.

Thirdly, make sure you have packed some cutesy dresses and off-shoulder ensembles. They make great for those breezy photo shoots and naturally, would give off a graceful appeal when worn with correct statement jewelry and footwear.

Also, you can pack some comfortable, breezy tank tops. They are pretty cute and cool to sport on a beach. You can always wear some jewelry, such as long necklaces or feather earrings to add a little sparkle and a pop of color in your look. You can pair them with high-waisted shorts for a more attractive look.

Footwear:-

No outfit is complete without footwear. In fact, your shoes play a big part in making your outfit a hit or a miss. When it is a beach, flip-flops are your ride. This is by far the most practical footwear to take on a beach. If flip-flops don’t appeal to you, you can pack slip-ons.

They look cool and uber chic! Not only this, but thong flats and gladiator sandals also work just fine. Colorful, trendy and glamorous, this is what they are about and makes them perfect for the beach.  They can easily make your dresses and maxis stand out. These are your ultimate key to look effortlessly elegant.

Sunscreen and Lip Balm:-

Enjoy while being careful. Don’t forget your skin. In fact, pay it extra attention when you hit the beach. You don’t want it to get too tanned or get sunburned. Hence, pack sunscreen and slather it over your face and body to keep the sunburns at bay. Put some lip balm to keep your lips protected and soft. Sun can be cruel, lovelies! Once this is on, you can sweat it out on the beach like YOLO!

Beach Towel:

Since we are talking about skin, it is important to note that not every fabric works well for the skin. Therefore, we recommend you to go for pure cotton Turkish towels to take on the beach. They are looped with knotted tassels which makes them super functional. You can rock it as a sarong, too! Moreover, it comes in a variety of colors and designs to choose from.

Portable Chargers:

Expect the worst when you are on a trip. The battery of your cell phone can die any moment. It might not even occur to you amidst all the fun that you are running out of it and when it suddenly gets off, all the hell breaks loose! So, it is always wise to take a power bank with you.  In addition to this, a work-related emergency might come anytime, so it’s good to have a back-up should a need to charge your laptop arises.

Through a portable charger, charge your gadgets anywhere, anytime like a queen!
Speaking of gadgets and chargers, make sure they are water-proof or cover them up with specially designed protective covers.

Beach Umbrella:

To help reduce your skin’s exposure to the sun, consider carrying a beach umbrella along with you. It will keep you cool and as fresh as a flower. Typically, an umbrella with a diameter of 5-8 feet is used to cater for 1-2 people. When you purchase one, check whether or not the pole and fabric are well connected.

 A Big Tote Bag:

Last but not the least; you need a big fat tote bag to just chuck everything in. A tote bag does all the talking! It is the most versatile item that a girl could ever own in her cupboard. Durable and super spacious, you can stuff the most used things in it for you to quickly access them. Your go-to makeup, the sunscreen, the sunglasses, magazines or books to read on the beach; a tote bag such as Street Level leather Tote has enough space to store everything!

So, are you sure about the seashore now? Well, let’s start packing. And here’s a friendly reminder. If you need to stock up on crop tops, tanks, shorts or swimwear, head over to Sophie and Trey and grab your most wanted items at unbeatable prices.

How To Choose A Tent To Camp Like A Champ

How To Choose A Tent To Camp Like A Champ

When it comes to choosing a family camping tent, you want to make sure you get the absolute best. As simple as this task may seem, it is a bit difficult, especially considering the different types of tents available out there. The overwhelming variety can confuse new, and even experienced campers when it comes to making an informed decision. If you are one such person, fear not, as the following tips will allow you to choose a tent for you and/or your family and friends to camp with ease and comfort.

1) Determine the Conditions for the Tent Required

Some tents are designed for specific conditions. For this reason, you will notice that summer tents will tend to be lighter, unlike winter tents which are bulky. Similarly, three season tents will stand their ground against winds and rain without fail. And then there are fair weather tents that are meant to be used for those calm and sunny days.

Seeing how many different types of tents there are, it would be wise to determine what conditions you will be camping in. Once that is done, it will be a breeze for you to make an informed decision.

2) Determine ‘Number of People’

Another great way to choose the right tent for your next camping trip is to determine the number of people who will accompany you. Even if you are going alone, there will be times later on when you will camp with your family and/or friends, for which you will need to plan ahead.

Obviously, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on different tents that accommodate a different number of people. Not only will it be a waste of money, but it will take more space at home.

3) Materials and Construction of the Tent

Always pay close attention to what materials were used for the construction of a tent you are interested in.

Tents made out of canvas are waterproof, but they get heavy due to water absorption. However, such tents last longer, even more than nylon tents.

Nylon or polyester tents are mostly waterproof too, but they deteriorate much faster by sunlight. For this reason, you need to check whether such tents’ seams are sealed shut to prevent water from getting in.

Whatever tent you choose, make sure it offers good value for your money, unless you want to end up buying a new tent for every new camping trip you plan to make.

4) Ventilation

If this is your first time camping, you may not realize how horrible it can be to get up in the morning to realize everything in your tent is damp.

Any and all clothing will get wet, and so will your bed due to condensation in the tent. This is precisely why you need to invest in a tent with excellent ventilation. Look for ones with well-placed vents, and keep the rain fly on at all times.

To further minimize condensation, here are a few tips to consider.

5) Weight

If you plan to walk a lot during your camping trip, then it is best you avoid getting large tents that are going to weigh you down. Even if you don’t plan on doing so, it will still be a hassle to get your tent from your car to the campsite.

There are family tents so large that even when packed in their bags, they may not necessarily fit on your car’s roof rack. So do your homework before committing to a purchase.

6) Flooring

If your tent is going to be in constant use, get one that has suitable flooring. The floor has to be durable to protect you from poor weather conditions. At the same time, always use a footprint, since they go under your tent to protect it from wear and tear.

These are just a few of many other tips that can be taken into account while selecting the best canvas bell tent out there. Consider buying from manufacturers that offer warranties on their tents, but also read the fine print too. The last thing you need is for the manufacturer to refuse to cover you because you did not pay attention to things that were not covered under warranty. Hopefully, you have everything you need to make the right purchase on your first try without breaking a sweat.

Throw A Wedding Like A Celebrity (But On A Budget)

Throw A Wedding Like A Celebrity (But On A Budget)

Most of us dream of our wedding for years. We ready the bridal magazines and search the internet, and we see weddings of celebrities that look flawless. We know that a celebrity spares no expense to have their photo-worthy weddings, but we have a budget. The fact is, you can have a wedding that is elegant, chic, and charming while staying within your budget.

When you get past the glitz and glamour of the celebrity wedding, what you see is the same things you are planning. Maybe without the special lighting and the media attention. You have a lovely venue, a dress made especially for you. Elegant table settings and great music. So let’s look at the what we can do to have it all, for less money. Sites like Movablemark may help you in regards lifestyle.

Throw A Wedding Like A Celebrity (But On A Budget)

The Wedding Gown

The main attraction and the moment everyone is waiting for at a celebrity wedding is seeing the bride enter in her wedding gown. Photos snap endlessly to capture every angle of how she looks in a gown custom made for her.

This is easily attainable for you. Bridal industry leader, Azazie has a wide selection of trending and lovely wedding gowns. But, if you want to design your own gown, for a one of a kind look, they can accommodate you. Their prices are within your budget.

Throw A Wedding Like A Celebrity (But On A Budget)

The colors

The bridesmaid’s dresses are high on the priority list because they are the build-up to the main event. Celebrities rarely go with anything less than elegant dresses. That means a stylish cut in a color that is regarded as ultra-chic.

Fortunately, there is a large selection of colors that fit that requirement. Basic colors include:

  • Black
  • Navy
  • Champagne
  • Deep gray
  • Dark red
  • Cream or Ivory

Keep in mind that colors such as Ink Blue, Emerald Green, and royal purple are also acceptable if the cut of the gown is understated. The bridesmaids gowns are usually, simply accessorized.

Throw A Wedding Like A Celebrity (But On A Budget)

The Venue

This is the one area where you can easily blow your budget if you are not careful. You want a picture perfect wedding setting. Perhaps you want the finery of a resort, overlooking the ocean. Maybe you picture yourself descending the stairs of a Victorian mansion, or arriving by carriage to a cathedral. There are two things you need to make this happen.

The wedding planner

No celebrity (and no other bride who wants a flawless wedding) would even consider having a wedding without a wedding planner. It is not the big things with your venue that will ruin your day; it is the details. The wedding planner should be the first call you make when you are ready to begin preparing for the wedding.

Wedding Venue Packages

When you use a venue package at a resort hotel or other specialty venues, ask for a package deal. This can include your wedding chapel or hall, the decorations, the elegant table settings, caterers, the bar and bartender, and more. In some cases, you can have them arrange the music and provide a dance floor area, and a photographer.

They may have a caterer and they will give you prearranged menus to select from.

Securing these things individually would cost you a lot more.

By following these simple plans, you can have your perfect wedding at a price you can afford.

How To Develop Growth Mindset In Students

How To Develop Growth Mindset In Students

Psychologist Carol Dweck developed the concept of the growth mindset. In recent years, the schools and colleges have started teaching their students about this mindset.

According to this theory, people make self-perceptions or self-theory about themselves. Dweck has given a brief distinction between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindsets.

In a fixed mindset, people believe their essential qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are only fixed traits. They spend their time documenting intelligence or talent instead of developing them.

But, in a growth mindset, people believe that their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work; they love learning, and they learn quickly. They love to adopt new opportunities and face all the obstacles on their way. Fixed mindset drives motivation and achievement. Growth mindset also leads to winning mindset which can not only boost efficiency and productivity but helps you cope the stress and stay happy even in most difficult circumstances.

8 Ways to Develop Growth Mindset

Use these tactics to foster a growth mindset in your students, helping them cultivate their talents and abilities in and out of the classroom. You should see a positive attitude building new skills and taking different challenges.

Keep the moral high

Always teach students to have one alternate or backup plan ready for them, and try to create new ideas every time. This can push them towards developing a growth mindset.

New teaching strategies

Make a new strategy for the students so that they learn something new out of it. Try to give projects in a group or a pair. Use videos, audio, presentations, documentary, etc. in lessons. Keep a track on every student and take a test or cross-examine them to understand their mindset. By expanding your teaching tactics, students sharpen their skills to face obstacles.

Use ‘yet’ more often

The word ‘yet’ can change a depressing or negative sentence into a positive one, promoting growth. The word works well with the sentences that include ‘can’t or won’t’ because it reverses the negative meaning. Share this trick with students to keep them motivated about their work.

Replace the word ‘failing’ with the word ‘opportunity.’

The word ‘fail or failure’ is in itself a negative or devastating. Teach your students to replace it with the word opportunity or challenge. When someone makes a mistake, they haven’t failed but has learned something new. So teach them to learn something new everytime they think they haven’t reached their goal.

Celebrate growth

Teach your students to celebrate growth and progress with others. It gives happiness and positive vibes.

Learn from others

It’s not always wise to compare yourself to others, but it is important to realize that humans share the same weaknesses.

Make a new goal

Never stop learning, once you are over with your exams doesn’t mean you stop being interested in that subject. Growth-minded people know how to create new goals and keep themselves stimulated constantly.

Effort

Praising effort is shown to have a long-lasting effect. Try to give in your best without thinking about the result. The effort pays in the end. If still, you get failure take it as a challenge to think something new and brings out a new strategy to get a positive result. Putting in effort and learning thoroughly is what people with the growth mindset do.

Bottom Line

You may not include all of the above at one point in time. Therefore, it is best to prioritize the ideas and start implementing the most important strategies. Gradually, you can include more ideas and inculcate growth mindset as a habit in your students.

Telling the Difference: Tips on How to Judge If It’s High-Quality Wood Furniture

Choosing the best quality wood furniture can give you some difficulty. For sure, many pieces in the market will deceive you by their appearance alone, only to prove that they are not of superior quality when you start to use them.

Pieces of furniture made of superior materials and done with solid construction can last longer, even decades and centuries. Thus, you need to judge better if it is an excellent piece you are buying. The question is: how to tell the difference between shoddy and high-quality wood furniture?

Here are some tips on how to tell the difference between the what is low-quality and superior wood furniture to have the best buy for your budget.

Know What Kind of Wood is the Material

Wood furniture comes from different wood materials classified as soft, hard, and engineered. Knowing what kind of wood material of your furniture is crucial because this is one of the factors that tell how your furniture will last and how it will fare as time advances.

Those furniture pieces that usually last longer is known as hardwood, but they can a bit expensive. Hardwood comes from deciduous trees like maple, mahogany, oak, walnut, teak, birch, and cherry. It is usually denser and has a more muffled sound when you tap them than other kinds of wood material.

It is also common to find furniture pieces made from engineered wood. It may not be as sturdy and durable as hardwood, but you should not dismiss it as low-quality because it still provides strength and prevents warping and breaking. Engineered wood can be sturdy and highly-attractive when applied with veneers.

Determine How It is Made

Of course, to determine whether a piece of furniture is superior or not is to know the whole process that the material goes through. Most furniture pieces nowadays are assembled using veneer.

A veneer is a flimsy wood with ⅛ inch thickness layered to the surface of the furniture piece. You can get veneer by either peeling the tree trunk or by slicing rectangular blocks of flitches.

High-quality furniture pieces have at least 1-inch thick of veneer applied on it. Of course, this will make the furniture piece lasts much longer.

Check the Furniture Construction

The Construction of a furniture piece will define the piece’s aesthetic, how long it will serve you, and how it will function. Check on those essential attributes of a high-quality of furniture for you to have the best buy.

In general, an excellent way to tell the quality of construction is to look for the joinery of the furniture piece. Good furniture pieces have screwed joints. But the best furniture pieces have dovetailed joints, or linked with a mortise and tenon. They also have a reinforcement block attached at an angle on every corner.

Low-quality furniture pieces, on the other hand, is simpler to determine. Poor quality furniture pieces have joints that are stapled, nailed, or glued. The problem with poor quality pieces is that they easily come apart and might endanger the safety of the user. You can find an excellently constructed wooden furniture in furniture sites like Black Mango.

Superior Wood Furniture Has Good Finishing Touches

The finishing on a wood furniture can make or break the overall quality of the piece. The finishing process should include three things: the sanding, staining, and the final finishing.

An excellent furniture piece should be resistant to scratch because if it is vulnerable to scrape and scratch it will not be good to display in your home. You can test the furniture piece if it easily dents on the surface by running your fingernails over the surface. Also, check the furniture piece at different angles for blotch and scratches.

Modern wood furniture finishes range from high-gloss to matte. A superior wood finish is satiny smooth and does not have rough patches, bubbles, and dust specks. Check for the depth and richness of the wood finish, which comes from great coats of finish between sanding.

Check for Warranty

When you buy something, it is essential to check if you get a warranty for it, especially when it comes to buying furniture. Even though the furniture piece you buy is a strong and durable one, a sale warranty will help you on maintenance in case of future damage. So be sure to check for a warranty.

Takeaway

A wood furniture is an excellent material for a home furnishing because of its several advantages. Wooden furniture pieces will suit almost any room due to its warmth, richness, comfort, and finesse. Before you buy one, however, it is essential to tell the difference between low-quality and superior wood furniture.