Shelly Wutke

I’ve been fortunate enough to test out a bunch of fitness trackers and I’ve become the go-to person my friends go to for advice when they want to buy the latest and greatest fitness devices. That’s why yesterday, when Fitbit announced their newest wrist-based activity trackers, my phone was buzzing. And for good reason, because there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s a quick look at the three new fitness trackers from Fitbit.

While going through the old letters researching my ancestry, I also came across old recipes. There’s nothing like food to trigger memories of growing up, and when I look back I remember different German dishes on my Grandma’s kitchen table. Because it’s Octoberfest, I’ve been creating authentic German weiner schnitzel, frying pans full of cabbage, and big, puffy Bavarian pretzels. If that sounds delicious, it is, so today I thought I’d share a ‘how to’ make Bavarian pretzels on Shelly’s Friday Favourites.  

When it comes to Halloween, the only thing I struggle with each year is making enough candy apples, cupcakes, and treats for everyone. But every year I get a little wiser, and this year I’m going to put the kids to work making kid-friendly goodies. Creating these treats can be part of the Halloween fun, and you’d be amazed at how many hours kids will work on them with you supervising and helping them along.

I was pretty excited to test out the Sony ActionCam With LiveView Remote, and if you watch point of view action sports videos on Youtube the way most of my family does, you’ll instantly know exactly what this camera is for. Designed specifically to capture live action video in all the crazy places you’d go to for action sports and recreation, the Sony ActionCam has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a camera of this type. It was created for the ski hill, it shines on the side of a mountain, and you can take it with you while you hang ten on a wave near a tropic beach.

Put up your hand if you like to do laundry. No, I can’t really see any hands waving, but I’ll assume there are very few people who actually enjoy the process of washing and folding laundry. It’s definitely one of those chores that take up a lot of time every week, and as soon as everything is folded and put away, you have to start all over again.  

  Toronto just hosted it’s own Cocktail Week and London kicked its 5th Annual Cocktail Week yesterday. If you live somewhere there isn’t a cocktail week, you can still feel like you’re participating in this trendy event. All you have to do is host your own cocktail evening and create a few batches of your DIY cocktails. But remember, if you stick to your usual Bloody Mary or Mojito recipe, you’re definitely missing out on the spirit of the event. Cocktail Week is a time to branch out and try something new.

The latest models of Bosch refrigerators have ultra-efficient cooling systems, full-extension drawers for extra space, and humidity-controlled crispers to keep your lettuce and apples fresh until you’re ready to eat them. Upgrading from an older refrigerator to a Bosch refrigerator is more than just an upgrade – it’s a revelation. And it definitely doesn’t hurt that they look great while they’re keeping everything cool in your kitchen.

Using fitness trackers means I can gauge my progress, keep track of how far I’ve run, and always know how many calories I’ve burnt. Although there are a lot of great fitness trackers on the market now, I don’t always have the time to set up a new system or learn a new app. What I need in a fitness tracker are features like ‘simple’, ‘precise’, and ‘easy to use’, and that’s why I’m seriously impressed with the new Misfit Flash. It ticks all the boxes and, thanks to the app, even gives you info on your sleep patterns.

The air outside is crisp and cool, so if you’re in the mood to warm up in the kitchen with some fall recipes, here are a few great comfort foods you can try this weekend.

You know the old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but a bunch of apple recipes will keep you happy all weekend. Maybe it doesn’t go quite like that, but you’ll agree with me once you’ve tried this bushel of amazing apple desserts.