How-to

It’s been just over a month since we wound up our latest trip down the West coast to California, and since that time I’ve been pondering the very harsh reality of food cravings. It’s one thing to crave a type of food you have access to, but to crave something you can only eat at a very specific place you only visit occasionally? That’s a tough one. If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, you probably understand exactly what I mean, and there’s even a name for it—Disneyland withdrawal.

Portrait photography is a remarkable way to connect personally with your subject. As such, portraits can be some of the most wonderful gifts you can give. If you’re interested in learning how to create better portraits that you can use as gifts, read on.

Choosing kitchen appliances can be intimidating.  After all, you want an appliance that has multiple useful functions, one that fits with your existing kitchen or possibly into a reno, and to top it all off it’s a major expenditure so you want something that’s going to be a good value for your money. We’ve got some tips for picking those big ticket items.

When you think of cybersecurity or cyber safety, are you more likely to think of hackers targeting big corporations or governments rather than your own personal vulnerability. The wide open world of cyberspace is something you regularly interact with every time you browse a website, click a link, post on social media and chat online. But your online risk extends beyond those things because you can leave behind a digital footprint without realizing it, or expose your data in ways you didn’t intend to. This article is part of a series of articles that my Plug-in Blog colleagues and I are publishing over the next few weeks offering helpful tips and information about many topics related to cybersecurity. Today I will explore personal smartphone security.

There’s nothing a photographer enjoys more than a compliment on their work. It’s no wonder photographers spend so much time on Instagram—they just love those likes! So how does one rack up the most possible likes? Today I’m going to give you some tips to help you maximise yours.

  Pizza is one of my favourite foods. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as well as after a late night of drinking. I couldn’t imagine having to give it up because of celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten or wheat. But if this applies to you, have no fear: there are ways to make non-traditional pizza crust so you can continue eating the food you love. 

  Our guest blogger this week on Shelly’s Friday Favourites is Leila Pejman. Leila comes to us from Future Shop’s Tech Blog where everyone enjoyed reading about (and cooking) her amazing recipes. From gluten free to special brunches, Leila’s covered them all. Enjoy these great chicken recipes!

There is something almost magical about that first Saturday of the year when you wake up late, open your curtains and windows to let the glorious sunshine and fresh air in, and realize that spring has officially sprung. I immediately associated my acknowledgement of spring with the need to clean, re-organize, and refresh my home, beginning with the living room. So with my “spring refresh” hat on, here are my plans for the next month or so—plans that you can easily incorporate into your own spring living room refresh.

In some parts of the country, it’s almost golf season! (Sorry Eastern Canada!) If you can’t get out on the links yet, you can at least start thinking about the season ahead. New shoes, maybe some new plaid pants, and a few fresh sleeves of balls are enough to get you in the golf mood, but maybe this season it’s time to up your game with some new technology. Find out why GPS can improve your game, and even make it more enjoyable.

Over the past few years I’ve become a lot smarter about what to pack for a family camping weekend and what not to pack. It all comes down to planning. Take a look at some of the camping gear I bring along when I’m camping with the family.