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Monthly Archives: August 2018

Cheap DIY Garden Design Ideas

Making your garden beautiful does not have to be expensive. If you don’t have the budget to hire a professional landscaping service, all you need is some elbow grease and a lot of creativity. The first thing you need to do is survey your space. Think about the purpose of the design aspects you want to add to your yard or garden. Are you thinking about putting a small patio in your backyard? Do you want a paved pathway?

Landscape architects and designers often incorporate inexpensive materials for their creations. You can muster a few of these yourself along with the ideas below.

Focus on ground cover and pavement 

One of the simplest ways you can create a visual impact in your yard is to start with the pavement. There are a lot of options available for you to consider. You can use cement, natural stone, resin-bound paving from Sureset for gardens, and many other materials. Some paving materials are more expensive than others. For example, natural quarried stone like marble is more expensive. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, consider a resin-bound pavement instead.

For a more artistic appeal, lay pavement in geometric patterns and plant creeping plants to cover the ground in between. The contrast between pavement and grass creates a stunning design that will look great in your garden.

Don’t spend too much on plants

One way you can save on the cost of landscaping is to ask your friends to give you small cuttings of plants and flowers they have in their gardens. After a few weeks of care, these cuttings will be ready for transplanting in your garden.

Add pots and planters

The contrast in height adds another visual element to any garden. Instead of putting all foliage on the ground, you can mix and match by using inexpensive pots and planters. That will spark more creativity as you choose different shapes that will match the overall look of your garden.

Have a variety of perennials

Perennials are an excellent investment for any garden because you are guaranteed blooms every year. You can combine perennials that have different coloured flowers like purple allium and yellow coneflowers for a stunning contrast.

Consider adding ornamental grass

Another trend in landscaping is adding ornamental grass, which is low-maintenance and cheap and adds a contemporary feel to any garden. You can use it as borders or in-between flowering plants for additional contrast. Some examples of ornamental grass include flax, blue oat grass, feather reed grass, and fountain grass. Ornamental grass looks better when planted in clusters along with other perennials or annual plants for a garden that looks great year-round.

Incorporate unexpected elements and materials  

To add a unique twist to your garden, you can add unexpected details such as steel or recycled materials. These pieces can add an artistic element to your garden. Your garden should reflect your personality. Even if you don’t spend much on landscaping, a bit of imagination and lots of creativity can help you be proud of the space you create.

Aruba: Sun, Sea, Sand And Top Class Casinos

Many people who think about booking a dream holiday to a casino destination will immediately consider visiting places like Monte Carlo or Las Vegas.

However, if you’re prepared to travel a little further there are plenty of other glorious locations worth checking out.

If you fancy somewhere a bit more exotic, Aruba could be the perfect choice. Situated in the Caribbean Sea, just 18 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, the island has some stunning casinos.

Read on for our top four recommendations of casinos to visit in Aruba.

Alhambra Casino

Perhaps the most romantic destination in Aruba, the Alhambra offers a world-class casino experience alongside some stunningly gorgeous beaches.

With roulette, blackjack, poker and over 300 slot machines, the Alhambra is renowned for having some of the best offers on the island.

This is also the ideal place for inexperienced players, with the casino providing free table game lessons that will help you familiarise yourself with the games.

Stellaris Casino

The Stellaris is Aruba’s biggest casino with 500 slot machines and a wide range of table games, including roulette, blackjack, poker and craps.

Located at the newly-renovated Aruba Marriott Resort, it is one of the few casinos that opens around the clock.

Visit the Golden nugget online casino before travelling to boost your bankroll to take in the top-class live entertainment on offer every night.

The Stellaris also features an array of dining experiences, including Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Atardi and La Vista.

Glitz Casino

Situated in the lobby of La Cabana Resort and Casino, the Glitz is one of the most popular casinos on the island.

Glitz is on the north eastern side of Eagle Beach, near Oranjestad, and is the perfect base to enjoy a bit of golf at the Divi Aruba Course while visiting the island.

The casino features a carnival-style theme, with a mixture of deep and bright hues that catch your eye and mystify you.

A state-of-the-art lighting system is the perfect backdrop when live bands perform, while the sunken bar is a sight to behold.

Casino at the Ritz-Carlton

The Casino at the Ritz-Carlton is a beautiful beachfront destination featuring two sports betting kiosks, 17 table games and over 300 slot machines.

Blackjack, craps, roulette, poker and baccarat are available almost 24-hours-a-day, whilst the exclusive VIP membership club offers some superb benefits for high rollers.

Nightly live music at the Divi Bar and Lounge adds to the ambience at the Ritz-Carlton, making this one of the finest travel experiences you can enjoy.

Best Countries To Visit If You Are To Take A Trip To Africa

A continent that is always been confused as a country is a delightful place to visit. This continent is vastly diverse with its landscape, topography, and people. Housing almost 54 countries, Africa is a place that makes people visit it over and over. There’s a lot of places you can go for this trip and this piece has highlighted some of these places for you. From wildlife tour in Uganda to Namibian deserts, you will find a lot of interesting places highlighted down here. So, let’s hope that you are as excited as any traveller should be.

1. Uganda

The pearl of Africa is a beautiful place to visit. Its widely acclaimed gorilla trekking attracts people from all over the world. Half of the global population of gorillas reside over here along the gorilla tracks of Bwindi forest. These tours are usually small and can fit up to eight people. The time goes away faster once you’ve spotted the gorillas. This will definitely be a highlight of your entire trip as you see the gorillas in their natural habitat. There’s no such time to visit Uganda as it thrives beautifully throughout the whole season.

2. Kenya & Tanzania

People often merge the two trips together. This place is considered to be the best when it comes to seeing the “Great Migration”. Witness the sight of millions of zebras, wild beasts, and Gazelle completes their migratory, circle starting from Masa Mara (Kenya) to Tanzania. Even if you miss out on the migration season, Kenya & Tanzania still has a diverse wildlife to look out for. Can you imagine seeing 50 elephants walking in a herd across a field? Well, it is not an uncommon sight to behold here. Tanzania, on the other hand, is the home to the infamous Mt. Kilimanjaro.

3. Zambia and Zimbabwe

Visit these two countries to see the world’s largest waterfalls i.e. Victoria Falls. There are a ton of adrenaline filled activities to look out for like white river rafting on the Zambezi river. Zambia also has an amazing tour dedicated to walking safaris inside national parks. The peak season is during winter since it stays dry and the weather is slightly more bearable.

4. Namibia

This is one of the favourite tourist destinations in the world. You can climb on sand dunes or take a balloon ride over them while enjoying the spectacular view of the desert. You can’t see a lot of game here, but the landscapes of Namibia are almost ethereal. Be sure to look out for the desert and ghost town tours. Since it is a desert, be sure to pack both light and warm clothes.

5. South Africa

This is an exciting place to visit with its exciting package of adrenaline-filled activities that range from shark cage diving to mountain hikes. Experience the flavour of Durban which is an Indian cultural hub in Africa which rests over the Indian Ocean. Wine tours are available too but you can always opt for game watching which might be a bit more exclusive.

Some of the places which are mention worthy are as follows: Morocco, Egypt, Botswana.

Guide To Basic Rendering Techniques

The exterior and interior walls of any building or home need a coat of plaster material for improved strength. Render also adds fireproof and weatherproof properties to the foundation of any structure. For internal surfaces, plastering creates an acoustic sound barrier and prepares the area for decorating with paint or wallpaper.

Rendering and plastering require skill and practice to master. Nevertheless, even small DIY projects involving plasterwork are achievable. Before you consider taking on a plastering project, consider the recommendations below.

Choosing the right render 

There are various rendering materials used today. The most basic exterior render usually contains cement, sand, and some filler. For interior rendering, plasterers often use gypsum-based plaster material. Plasterboard or brickwork is the background surface for gypsum-based plaster. For low suction background surfaces, applying a basecoat precedes plastering. The basecoat acts as a barrier to prevent moisture absorption before the Parex render dries completely.

The right plaster material depends on the surface to which you will apply it. You can find a variety of Parex supplies suitable for different background surfaces and finish. Examples include Parex paraguard, monorex GM, and monorex gf.

Preparing surfaces for rendering

A crucial step to ensuring a quality finish is removing dirt and debris from the surface. Wash off any oil and paint residue before applying the basecoat. Basecoat is necessary when the background surface has low suction. A commonly used basecoat to enhance plaster absorption is a mixture of PVA glue and water.

Mixing plaster material 

The mix ratio of render material determines the resulting finish. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for the correct ratio of render and filler. For convenience, you can buy pre-mixed Parex rendering supplies where you only need to add the right amount of water. Apply water in small quantities to get the desired consistency.

Applying plaster material

Novice plasterers can use wooden battens as a guide to get the right thickness. You can nail these at the edges to create a clean, even plaster finish. Slowly apply the plaster in swift, stable motions. With the aid of a straight edge, you can level and smoothen the resulting plastered surface. The plaster coat should be allowed to dry completely before adding another layer.

Choosing the right plaster finish 

You can apply different finishing techniques on the last coat of plaster for decorative purposes. Below are different types of plaster finish:

  • Trowel finish. The simplest way to finish a layer of plaster is to use a wooden float to skim the surface and create a smooth surface.
  • Sponge finish. To create a sponged effect, use a damp sponge and mop it over the plaster surface. The sponge should not be too wet, or it will wash off the render.
  • Roughcast finish. Instead of applying the render carefully onto the surface, it is flicked and thrown to create a rough finish. This type of finish is suitable for exterior walls.
  • Textured finish. Coarse aggregate such as pebbles or gravel is added to the plaster mixture to create this finish.

Plasterers are also recommended to consider ambient temperature before applying plaster. When the weather is too hot, plastering earlier in the day is ideal so that heat in the background surface will not absorb the water out of the render.

Chester Races Tips And Predictions

After witnessing exciting races at Royal Ascot, Cheltenham Festival and The Grand National, you need to focus your attention to another horse racing event which has just as much excitement surrounding it. There’s a lot of different major horse racing festivals across the UK which provide an interesting selection of runs to bet on but one that often goes unmentioned ahead of the even more popular festivals is Chester Races.

The pull surrounding all of the UK’s biggest and best horse racing events makes it harder for any others to stand out, especially with the major festivals being scattered around the country, but Chester Races offers the chance to capitalise on some top-quality racing action in the North West. With a focus on Chester Racecourse and their main races throughout the year, we look at why it’s worth getting involved with it:

Chester racing odds

There are several festivals that take place at Chester Racecourse over the year, with some less experienced punters being left with some uncertainty over what their peak time is. May is the primary time where most fans of horse racing will venture to the North West to place bets on their own Chester Races tips. There are also other opportunities to bet on their other festivals, with further week-long festivals over the Summer, and a handful of Autumn editions.

While it’s unlikely that you’ll find that much information on Chester Races due to so many websites solely offering exposure to the larger horse racing festivals, there are some places that provide insight on all betting opportunities, like The Winners Enclosure, who even have a page devoted to some great Chester Races tips and an overview of past results and racecourse history.

Betting at Chester Races

Whether you’re looking to back your bets in the comfort of your own home, or you’re lucky enough to get a ticket to attend Chester racecourse, there’s several ways to place bets on your own Chester Races tips. Any and all races that take place at the racecourse are covered by all major bookmakers and you’ll also find bookie stalls scattered around the venue, so betting on Chester races couldn’t be made much easier.

As the two main periods for racing at Chester are in May and September, it seems as if they’ve looked to appeal to a niche market of punters who want to bet on horse racing before and after the summer. Most horse racing festivals are played out during peak time, so Chester races is a chance to bet at those quieter periods throughout the year.

How To Avoid NY Tourists During Your NY Vacation

Are you thinking about visiting the Big Apple but want to avoid tourist during your visit? If so, you’ll find it’s worth going off the beaten path, however, if this is your first time to visit and you have your heart set on seeing some of the city’s top attractions with the least amount of tourist interruptions, here are a few tips you’ll find helpful.

Before we look at helpful tips for avoiding the crowds of people in New York, you should take time to familiarize yourself with the traffic routes. You don’t want to find yourself going down a one-way street the wrong way. If, however, you find yourself getting pulled over for speeding or some type of minor traffic violation, there’s a good chance you may be able to get it dismissed by taking an online defensive driving course. So, whether you’re visiting on vacation or seeking out the top NY delivery jobs for a career change, make sure to use our helpful tips for avoiding tourists and always keep in mind you can take advantage of a defensive driving course if you get a traffic violation.

Times Square

Times Square tends to be chaotic with floods of people and if you’re planning to see a Broadway show, you will have to encounter the chaos. If possible, avoid the peak commuting hours around 9 am and then from 5 to 7 pm. And if you would like to take in a spectacular view of Times Square from a different part of the city, head up to the top of the TKTS stairs, and then get out of there. The truth of the matter is, there really isn’t a good time to visit without encountering a mob.

The Empire State Building

If the Empire State Building is on your list of places to visit, you can buy a Sunrise Pass or a VIP Express Pass to help you avoid the biggest crowds. If this isn’t in your budget, then go early. Generally, between sunrise and 11 am is when you may experience the least number of tourists.

The Statue of Liberty

The best way to avoid tourists is to take a route most people don’t go on. There are several ways to see Lady Liberty, with one way being to stand on the deck of the Staten Island Ferry or taking the ferry to Governor’s Island. You can jump on the IKEA water taxi too or visit the North River Lobster Co., which offers a seafood-themed booze cruise.

Central Park

If you visit Central Park, you will most likely encounter New Yorkers who are seeking a break from the grid and an abundance of tourists. There are multiple park entrances here that you can’t go wrong with. The tree-lined Central Park West or Fifth Avenue are two park entrances that will provide a quieter setting and park experience.

If you are not set on visiting Central Park but want to picnic or sightsee, there are other NYC parks, like Prospect Park, the Hudson River Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Astoria Park, all of which have much to offer.

Some tourist attractions are popular for good reason. By prioritizing what’s important to you and avoiding peak hours and enormous crowds, your vacation to New York can be an unforgettable experience. As mentioned before, make sure you familiarize yourself with the routes and traffic patterns of New York before you set off to enjoy all that the city has to offer. With proper preparation, you are sure to have a much more enjoyable trip.

How To Have A Healthy Vacation

Traveling provides you with an opportunity to unwind, rejuvenate, and experience new and exciting places, cuisines, and activities. However, it can also prevent you from maintaining a healthy diet, as there might seemingly be temptation at every turn.

If you want to prevent a relaxing break from ruining your daily diet, check out the following ways to have a healthy on vacation and still enjoy yourself.

Eat Unhealthy Foods in Moderation

No-one is saying you should deny yourself an ice cream on vacation, or that you cannot visit your favorite restaurant. A little of what you like in moderation is fine for a healthy diet, but avoid the temptation to overindulge. It will ensure you don’t dread the scales once you return home.

Cook Healthy Meals at a Vacation Rental

Rather than booking into a hotel that is filled with a variety of temptations, such as indulgent meals, snacks and drinks, consider booking one of the many vacation home rentals available to you. You can relax in a home-away-from-home at your desired destination, so you can cook healthy meals for all your family or friends during a vacation. So, you won’t need to eat out every night to have an unforgettable time.

Take a Hike to Burn Calories

If you want to treat yourself to a snack or indulgent meal without too much guilt, you should enjoy a spot of hiking. It will help you to maintain a healthy body while abroad, as you could burn between 430 to 440 calories per hour if you weigh 160lbs. It’s a great way to experience the best views of the city, and you’ll feel a sense of achievement once it’s over.

Make Healthier Food Choices

Browse the menu to make healthy food choices so that you can reduce your calorie intake. No-one is saying you cannot visit your favorite restaurant, as depriving yourself could make you resent your vacation, but compromising with healthier options could help you to prevent weight gain while allowing you to treat yourself.

You could even make healthier swaps to reduce your consumption of sugar or saturated fat. For instance, swap condiments by adding Dijon mustard over mayonnaise onto your meal, or swap your French fries for a baked potato or vegetables.

Drink Plenty of Water to Prevent Dehydration

Traveling can dehydrate your body, especially if you visit a tropical destination. Ensure you’re hydrated at all times by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. It will not only prevent dehydration, but it can also flush toxins out of your body while helping you to lose weight. So, always keep a bottle or two with you to create a healthier body.

Stick to Your Five a Day

Regardless of whether you maintain a healthy diet or not, you should make an effort to consume your five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Your body will absorb essential nutrients, which can strengthen your immune system and prevent illness on vacation. Also, it will make your meals more satisfying and filling. As a result, you’ll be less likely to indulge in unhealthy snacks.