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Hey, What’s Cooking?

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Sep 052011

If you’re getting the home-improvement itch but can’t afford a re-model but you want more than just re-papering and paint effects then get in the kitchen!

Are you thinking that you‘re about ready to jettison all your old appliances and replace them all with beautiful, new, energy efficiency rated machinery instead then there’s rarely a better time than right now. It’s not just the white goods either, replacing cabinets and shelving is a meaningful way of adding value to your home without undertaking too much additional building work or running the risk of pricing yourself out of your local market when the time comes to sell.

The main stumbling block most people have when choosing machines like dishwashers, washing machines coffee makers and the like is that ‘prestige pricing’ makes the most expensive items look the most appealing while all the time a lower cost item would do just as well. So how do you know if you should just get a cheap washing machine (energy and water efficient of course) or one that’s twice the price?

That’s where consumer reports come in.

Independent consumer groups and publications such as Which? carry out tests on myriad items of consumer hardware all the time and put together reports which compare and contrast the various attributes of the durables under consideration. Not only that but they also talk to manufacturers, designers and retail groups to find out what the latest trends are so you know, before you part with your cold hard cash, that what you’re buying is on trend so you can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to La Cuisine au Mode. (That’s French for making your friends squirm with jealousy.)

So What’s Hot In Keeping It Chilled?

French door fridge freezers, they offer the styling of an American fridge freezer but are arguably more user-friendly. It’s a designers’ favourite offering the convenience of a side-by side while the freezing all goes on at the bottom meaning that you can’t drop frozen pastry from eye level onto your foot.

Feeling Hippy.

Depending on the space you have available waist height and wall mounted ovens are becoming more popular, if you’re disabled, find bending or lifting at all difficult then a wall mounted oven, as well as a table-top level range, could be just what you’re looking for. It’s easier to see inside, far easier to put things into and take things out of than a floor based oven.

Invest in the Future.

Buying efficient, easy to use, hardwearing, durable white goods is not only an investment in lower bills and longer periods between replacement, you make your kitchen more attractive to potential buyers in the future.

It’s All About the Money Honey.

Not all great design ideas pay off in the long run. Read the consumer reports instead of advertising blurb. Advertisers might tell you that their multi $$$ new feature is life changing but reviewers and testers might have an altogether different take on it. Think about it, we’ve had piped gas and electricity for generations now, any new innovations that are going to be ‘life changing’ are really going to be on their mettle. Think about what sells. You need ease of use and functionability from your kitchen, the idea is to spend as little time in there as you can and when you are in there, you’re in the lap of luxury, not unblocking the sink or defrosting the freezer.

Posted by admin at 4:47 pm

The SKI Generation says “Up Yours, I’m Off!”

accessories, Holidays and vacations, home and garden, living space, Uncategorized No Responses »
Aug 092011

Pensioners are getting their priorities right and spending their kids inheritance instead of living their golden years in penury so that they can pass their money down to their offspring.

In the past many elderly people saw it as their responsibility to leave an inheritance of cash as well as property and heirlooms to their children. This cash could have been spent on care, heating in winter, food, and for the better off, vacations, housing, mobility, whatever. Notwithstanding the feuds which often seem to occur when a parent leaves a legacy to a number of their children, parents would feel duty bound to hand something down for posterity. Today however, with the population getting increasingly older, the children are already into their sixties or later when the parents finally pass away, they’ve got children and grand children of their own and are often so well established that they need no inheritance from their parents but keepsakes and the family jewellery.

See Ya Later Losers!

Recognising that the money that they’ve accrued over the years is their own and that they’ve worked hard for it while their children don’t need it, parents are now willing to ‘spend their children’s inheritance’ on themselves. Spending is going on depreciables like fast cars and big ticket items that cannot be recouped, things like spa holidays and cruises.

Some say that they’re the SKI (Spending the Kids Inheritance) generation, wasting their money while their children and grandchildren are in a financial bind. I tend to disagree, children and grandchildren shouldn’t think that they have a ‘right’ to their parents’ money upon their death and if it’s an inheritance then the children are going to have to wait for it anyway.

So, instead of gardening, essentially maintaining the homes that they’re planning to leave to their kids, the older generation are taking off on spa breaks in Europe and beyond when they can afford it, and why not? They have the all the aches and pains of advancing years and the time to enjoy the pampering! No longer prepared to provide free childcare and handouts, grandparents are eschewing the traditional roles that society has moulded for them, booking yoga spa holidays, giving two fingers to their ‘dependents’ and with a parting call of “Up yours ugly!” are boarding planes to sunnier climes. And do you really blame them?

Posted by admin at 2:32 pm Tagged with: , , ,

5 Things You Might Not Know About Sunglasses

accessories, mens, style, style guide, sunglasses, womens No Responses »
Jul 282011

Now that we have entered summer, there will no doubt be more than a handful of days where the sun is brightly beaming and sunglasses will be required to stop us all squinting unattractively whenever we step outside. Whether you go for substance or style (or both!) when choosing yourself a pair of sunglasses, here are five things you might not know about the well loved accessory…

1 Sunglasses Should Be Worn All Year Round

It is rare that you will spot anyone donning a pair of shades in the colder seasons of autumn and winter (in fact, we would probably think anyone who does as a bit strange) but according to experts, sunglasses should be worn all year round.

31% of UV light still reaches the skin and eyes on cloudy days. We’re not even safe from the sun’s rays on snowy days, for the white of the ice reflects approximately 80% of UV rays.

Michael Repka, ophthalmology professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine argues that we should be protecting our eyes from UV light all of the time because constant sun exposure “can damage structures in the cornea, the lens of the eye and retina, as well as the skin around the eyes or eyelids.”

Many people prefer to protect themselves from the sun via the application of a sun block to the skin every day, as part of their morning beauty routine. This may help the skin around the eyes but leaves the actual eye itself unprotected.

It is worth pointing out that if you are a person whose skin burns easily in the sun then your eyes are likely to be more prone to sun damage too.

2  Sunglasses Should Be Worn Over Contact Lenses

Standard contact lenses offer eyes no protection from UV light whatsoever and they only serve to aid vision. Contact lenses which comprise UV protection are available but it is strongly advised that those who use them double up their protection by also donning sunglasses on bright days. This is because a contact lens does not cover the entirety of an eye, leaving a lot of the white area exposed to light – sunglasses can help to protect this area.

Even if your contact lenses offer 100% filtration of UV rays, it is still wise to double up – you can never have too much protection!

3 Most Sunglasses Are Putting Motorists At Risk

Fashion conscious women are putting themselves at risk because there is currently little in-store advice regarding what constitutes an ideal pair of sunglasses to wear whilst behind the wheel of a car. Oversized frames and thick arms are currently vogue but these are the worst offenders, for they compromise the driver’s vision significantly.

Dark lenses can obstruct vision whilst pink tints can distort colours, making it harder to read signs and/or spot road hazards and so both should be avoided when driving.

It is recommended that drivers select a pair of aviator style sunglasses with slim arms and lenses which are light brown or grey in colour for driving.

4  Luxottica Makes All Brands Of Sunglasses

Do you ever find yourself struggling to decide on which pair of sunglasses from Omnioptics to order yourself? Should you go for the oversized Prada’s or the Wayfarer Ray Bans? How about the totally gorgeous red, angular Oakley’s? Which pair is the most superior?

Well, it might surprise you to know that other than the branding and retail price, there is not much difference between these options, for they are all produced under the umbrella Italian manufacturing corporation of Luxottica. Just some of the other brands that Luxottica produces sunnies for include Burberry, Chanel, Paul Smith, Versace, Miu Miu and Ralph Lauren.

In addition, Luxottica also own LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglasses Hut – that’s right…the doctor telling you that you need new glasses, the designers and  the in-store sales people all work for the same company.

Sneaky!

5  Expensive Sunglasses Can Be Better Than Cheap Sunglasses

I am sure that you have heard the argument that cheap sunglasses are just as a good as expensive ones when it comes to protection from the sun’s harmful rays. It is often said that as long as a pair of sunnies has a sticker on stating “UV400” than these offer perfectly adequate defence. They might well “do” (arguably; any sunglasses are better than no sunglasses), but premium priced shades often offer the additional benefits of protection from glare, intense light and the elimination of specific frequencies of light.

It should be noted that cheaper sunglasses which only filter out some UV rays actually see the iris open wider in response to the unfiltered rays that get through the lens and this increases exposure to damaging UV.

This guest post is written by Kat Cole.

Posted by admin at 2:09 pm
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