Home & Lifestyle

With so many two-income families at work each day, home security is important. It can even provide safety for families that are at home. Someone tried to break-in to my home while we were asleep, and fortunately I woke up in time and was able to scare him away. That was before I had a security system! A security system is an excellent deterrent as there are so many unprotected homes burglars generally won’t  risk a protected one. I particularly like camera systems because they not only deter thieves but also vandals who get some sick joy out of destroying property.   I already have a Q-See Surveillance System installed in my house, but recently got a chance to test out a couple of Lorex Wireless Security Surveillance Systems and see how they compare. In fairness, the 2 Lorex packages that I tested out were smaller configurations, but with the same primary function – cameras that can monitor and record activity. All three systems have some significant differences that are worth knowing about.

    It‘s that time of year again when your thoughts turn to your outdoor space, thinking about entertaining in the back yard, only to realize that your outdoor furniture did not respond well to old man winter.  Rust and mildew have taken their toll.  The cure for this ongoing replacement of seasonal outdoor furnishings is to invest in quality pieces that will stand the test of time and weather. In comes Nardi (coming soon to Best Buy).

Based in P.E.I., Paderno has been in business for more than 35 years, making quality cookware, In fact, Paderno claims to be the only cookware manufacturer in Canada. 

As you are no doubt well aware, these days the vast majority of us store our music libraries digitally. True, some of us still have dozens of CD’s that do little more than take up room and collect dust on our shelves – I mean, c’mon, when am I ever going to listen to Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping” ever again? But when it comes to cranking the tunes, we turn to our smartphones, tablets, and computers. Streaming music through these devices is commonplace, and as such, has opened the market doors for a plethora of wireless speakers.   Unfortunately, devices that use Sonos or Airplay can be quite expensive; however, those that use Bluetooth, which comes integrated into virtually every modern tablet, phone, and computer, are much more affordable, and even better, aren’t platform-specific. I recently had an opportunity to test the Rocketfish Bluetooth Indoor/Outdoor Speaker, and have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. 

There are two things you need to know about Fat Tire Electric Bikes – one, they’re unlike any bike you’ve ever ridden before and two, they’re so fun they’ll make you forget about every other bike you’ve got in your garage. I’d go as far as saying you’ll be hooked on Fat Bikes with just one ride – at least that’s what I discovered when I toured the Surface 604 factory and rolled away on a Surface 604 Element Electric Bike myself.