Let’s Get Casual- A Few Suggestions On to Transform Your Home for Work and Play

The global pandemic has forced most people that have jobs that can be done from home, to work remotely for the first time. Although some countries are opening up and allowing people to return to their offices, many are still stuck in recurring lockdowns, restricted in their movement and therefore still working from home.

This new lifestyle of not having to leave your house for work initially proved refreshing for many. Working in your pajamas and eating your favorite cheese sandwich at your desk without worrying about dress codes or any other annoying office policies.

However having to combine work and personal life under the same roof comes with some serious challenges; especially considering the types of jobs that are suitable for remote work are deskjobs for which proper ergonomic equipment is necessary. Adverse work conditions can be harmful to your general health in the long run and not all employers are evenly generous when it comes to providing (funds) for proper equipment.

The way things are looking, it seems that this new lifestyle based on remote work is here to stay, at least partially. So, should we worry? If we focus on our physical well being, not too much, as long as we have the discipline to make use of the opportunities the situation creates. 

Compared to an office, and assuming you work on a laptop, you have the choice to work from where you want. Which boss allows you to work from your couch, or even better when the weather allows it, your balcony or garden? Although routine is often a good thing, being flexible and changing environments can literally change your perspective and get your creativeness flowing.

When it comes to the people around you, although we wish we could get along with everyone, it’s safe to assume that you feel more comfortable and allow yourself to be you around family members. As long as your kids are able to go to school that is..

But there are challenges as well, do you move enough, and  most important members. We choose where we work- in the living room, outdoors or even in the guest room with our choice of seats, tables and sofa. Also, it offers us the independence to take relaxing breaks, and instead of relying on fast food, we can make a healthy meal in the kitchen together with our loved ones! It’s an opportunity every busy professional should take today.

Still looking for some tips on how you can transform your home into a casual and relaxing environment? Read on and discover a few tips that can work for your home!

 

A Better and Inspiring Work Area

It all starts by investing in the right set of furniture. The key here is to be comfortable. Although the bed and sofa look appealing, don’t work from your couch or bed. What you can do is to set up a dedicated office. Start with a classic desk, a comfortable chair, and don’t forget to set up an appropriate lighting.

Find a Spot for Relaxation

Yes, you can still transform your home into a relaxing spot even though it serves as a busy workplace too.  When it comes to comfortable and relaxing add-ons to your rooms, you can’t go wrong with bean bag chairs. Available in different colors and styles, these comfy and casual seating options will always deliver a relaxing rest.

You can also blend comfort and style by adding outdoor hanging chairs or bean swing chairs. Perfect for outdoors, these seats let you relax in style just like a sloth. Envied for their laidback and slow-paced lifestyle, these animals can be your peg when relaxing on these cute yet comfortable chairs. They can also remind you that, hey, it’s good to relax and take it slow too.

 

Don’t Forget to Exercise 

Per doctors’ orders, you’ll need to add exercise and healthy food options into the mix. As part of your lifestyle planning, make sure to get up at least once an hour and avoid working for long hours straight. You can walk around your house, complete some stretches, and some routine exercises. You can also use an exercise app that will remind you to exercise at the right time. Or if you have time, you can join an online fitness class. Getting into fitness can be done remotely, too. Finally, have a meal plan. Make sure to create a grocery list and prepare home cooked meals together with family members.

As always, don’t forget to enjoy the extra time with your family. The pandemic may have radically changed the way we work and live but it provided us with one important ingredient that leads to a relaxed life: time.

Stores like Tilly’s – Active Lifestyle stores similar to Tilly’s

Founded in 1982, Tilly’s sells active lifestyle clothing and accessories. It is headquartered in Irvine, California. It has over 220 stores all over the US. They sell in-house brands like RSQ, Micros, and Blue Crown, alongside popular brands like Adidas, Billabong, Nike, Quicksilver, and Vans.  

Aside from Tilly’s, you can score active lifestyle fashion at these stores. 

Pacsun 

Headquartered in Anaheim, California, USA, Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. or simply Pacsun was founded by Jack Hopkins and Tom Moore in 1982 in Newport Beach, California. As the name suggests, it originally marketed as a surf and skate shop for men. Since then, the brand has evolved into a lifestyle brand. Their target market are young people with active lifestyles who still want to keep it fashionable. It is now owned by Golden Gate Capital. 

 

Zumiez  

Zumiez (read as zoom-eez) was founded by Tom Campion and Gary Haakenson in 1978. Since its foundation, it has catered to young people with active lifestyles, people who are into skateboarding, motocross, and snowboarding. They sell clothing, shoes, accessories, and hard goods for these action sports. Its first store opened in Seattle, Washington and the company was originally called Above the Belt. They carry various brands like Teddy Fresh, Vans, Champion, Adidas, Odd Future, and Thrasher among others. Men’s shirts start at USD 10. Women’s shirts for USD 5. Complete skateboards start at USD 70, while snowboards start at USD 120. 

 

Billabong 

Billabong International Limited was founded by Gordon and Rena Merchant in 1973. The Australian lifestyle brand offers apparel, hard goods for skate and snow, backpacks, footwear, and accessories. They own other brands like Von Zipper, Element, Honolua Surf Company, Kustom, Palmers Surf, Xcel, RVCA, which they all sell in their brick-and-mortar stores and online shop. The company experienced financial difficulties and almost went under but, through their turnaround strategy, they were able to bounce back and became profitable again starting 2014. Men’s shirts start at USD 10, boardshorts start at USD 18, and snow outer jackets at USD 112. Women’s tops start at USD 14, bikinis at USD 35, and snow jackets at USD 105. 

 

Hollister 

Clothing giant Abercrombie and Fitch founded Hollister Co. in 2000 to cater to the clothing needs of teens aged 14 to 18. Hollister is an affordable lifestyle brand for young teens. It is not really for hardcore sports fans but for those who are into the active lifestyle. Abercrombie even created a fictional history for the brand, about a certain John Hollister Sr. who settled in New York City from the Dutch East Indies. They carry apparel for dudes (men) and bettys (women), as well as fragrances, body care, swimwear, and underwear. Men’s shirts start at USD 10, hoodies at USD 35, swim shorts at USD 35, and skinny jeans at USD 45. Women’s shirts start at USD 20, hoodies at USD 35, bikinis at USD 42, and skinny jeans at USD 50. 

Looking for cool street wear clothes with an outdoorsy feel about them? You can also try stores like Urban outfitters then.

 

Best ways of getting a discount on traveling

The world has gotten smaller in such a way that it is quite easy to travel to the other side of the world. Sometimes, airline tickets can still be pricey when it comes to long-haul flights or when you book the flight near the travel date. But not to worry, there are still some ways for you to lower the amount you have to pay for those tickets. Here are some tips you have to remember:

Troll airline websites

Airline companies compete for the attention of passengers that they offer discounts left and right. Checking out deals during the low season or off-peak season is a good time. You can also sign up for a subscription to an airline’s newsletter. They include scheduled flash sales and exclusive deals to subscribers. You can get around 5% to as much as 75% off!

Follow e-commerce sites

E-commerce has made it as easy as 1-2-3 to buy and sell anything and everything under the sun. This is even more true when booking your airline tickets. They summarize all the travel promos in one neat package (aka their website) so all you have to do is pick one and make that reservation or booking.

Be a loyalty cardholder

If you are a frequent flyer, you can easily score discounted rates or even get free flights by using your miles. The more you fly, the more miles you rack up. Ergo, more discounts for you and money saved. Some airlines even offer a special credit line for loyalty cardholders through an airline credit card. Airlines partner with credit card companies and frequent usage of the card, not necessarily on plane tickets, will earn you points. When you reach a certain “milestone,” it “unlocks” perks or freebies for you.

Don’t be afraid to explore unknown destinations

Let your inner “Dora” come out and explore the world. It is understandable why you want to visit famous big cities like LA, New York, Paris, or London. But flying to those destinations, staying at hotels, eating, and shopping there may cost you an arm and a leg, not to mention the need to fight off the crowds. So do yourself a favor and go for alternative routes. For example, instead of heading to LA, consider going to northern California and go to Fort Bragg. There are beaches and forests that you can visit. A 1-week hotel stay can only cost you USD 162 versus USD 675 in LA.

Similar websites to Travelocity – Online Travel Deal-like Sites

When it comes to finding the best online travel deals, Travelocity has earned its place under the sun. But, over time, many similar websites have sprouted and may give Travelocity a run for its money. Check out these alternative sites to Travelocity.

Hotwire.com

Hotwire.com is an online travel site where you can book an entire holiday package easily. You can book your flight, hotel, rental cars, and tour packages on this site. What makes it a top choice for travelers on a budget is that you can get dirt-cheap prices. Hotwire can do that because they sell travel inventory that were not previously sold. However, you do not get to choose the hotel. You only get the hotel name when your credit card is charged. But if you are not picky about which hotel you stay in, Hotwire should be all right.

Priceline.com

You can also book your entire holiday on Priceline. You can place your bid on your travel dates, hotel location preferences, and hotel room preferences and the site will send you a list of choices. Mind, you won’t be given the name of the hotel. But you will get prices up to 60% off. You can also put your preferred budget for car rental and you will get a shortlist of recommendations. Ditto for cruises. So if you are not so high on which hotel you will stay in and are quite flexible on such arrangements, you can get the best deals on Priceline.

Kayak.com

Kayak.com has been around for less than 2 decades but it has built for itself a solid reputation. You can also plan your entire holiday on the site. What is great about Kayak is that it is the best site to book your hotel accommodations. Just enter your travel dates and number of pax and you will be given a selection of hotels, according to different categories. They go the extra mile and show you a location map of the hotel so you can see what is around the area, from bars to restaurants, and attractions, including public transport. It also notifies you about flight seat sales or discounts that meets your budget.

Orbitz.com

Orbitz.com has been around longer than the others being founded in 1999 but it is still one of the best ones out there. Even if you book your flights in other sites, like Kayak or Hipmunk, you will still be directed to book the flight on Orbitz. If you travel frequently, best to book using Orbitz to enjoy their hotel loyalty program rewards program. Another great service Orbitz offers is that there are no fees charged if you change hotel reservations. And if you want to change your flight tickets or hotel reservations, you can do so directly on Orbitz and you don’t need to contact the airline or hotel directly.

In addition to there services, you could also try sites like Coupon.com or Travelocity’s coupons on Dealfly, where you can also get even more discount on your Travelocity deals.

The Best Movies About Traveling and cool destinations

Who has not seen a movie that makes you want to travel? This can be an actual movies about traveling or road trips, or movies that romanticize cool destinations (like Paris!)  Here is a quick collection of must-see movies that involve traveling.

Amelie (2001)

Amelie is a simple girl with a kind heart. She travels across cities to help people find happiness and closure, except her own. It also paints a beautifully romantic picture of Paris, France. Amelie tops the lists of many French movies list, including on The Vore.

In Bruges (2008)

Hitmen Ray and Ken are sent to Bruges, Belgium to lie low after a botched job. Even when they try to stay out of trouble, trouble seems to follow them.

The Trip series (2010-present)

Comics Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon travel across countries to try out various restaurants and a spot of humor. They went across northern England, Italy, and Spain.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Gil Pender goes to the City of Lights to meet his fiancee’s parents. But as he walks along the Parisian streets at night, he is transported to the 1920s and sees Paris in a different light.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Sam and Suzy, after sharing letters over a year, agreed to meet up and run away. Young as they are, they journey across the island. As they hike and fish, their feelings for each other grow. When they reach a hidden cove, they call it Moonrise Kingdom.

Philomena (2013)

Martin is a journalist who is helping Philomena find the son she kept secret from her family for 5 decades. They travel from England to Ireland to the US in the hopes of reuniting Philomena with her son.

Tracks (2015)

Writer Robyn Davidson travels across the Australian desert until the Indian Ocean in 1977, with only her camels and dog for company. Photographer Rick Smolan tags along to document the journey for the May 1978 issue of National Geographic.

Carol (2015)

Carol, going through a difficult divorce, meets young sales clerk Therese at the shop where she works. Set in the 1950s, Carol and Therese begin a forbidden love affair as they go on a road trip across the US.

Lion (2016)

Five-year-old Saroo is lost and cannot find his way back home. Fast forward to the present, now an adult living in Australia after being adopted by an Australian couple, Saroo wishes to find his biological family. He sets off for India to be reunited with his family.

Similar sites to Travelzoo – The finest alternatives for travel deals

Travelzoo is one of the most popular travel sites in the world because it has everything and anything you would ever need to book when you travel. From flights, car rental, and accommodations to tours, restaurants, entertainment activities, and relaxing activities. Name it, they have it. The user experience in using the site may not be topnotch but the deals are. But here are great alternatives to Travelzoo.

Woot

Woot is one of the forerunners in the industry. They paved the way in offering daily deals. Though many others just copied their business model and surpassed them, Woot is still around to give good deals.

Groupon

Groupon is a trailblazer when it comes to travel arrangements. What used to be a tedious and arduous process now became simple and easy to do, thanks to Groupon. This is on top of curating the best deals you can find in the world.

Yipit

What pushed Yipit to the frontline in terms of travel websites is its coverage. You can find every possible deal anywhere you want to go in the US and Canada at very, very low prices. You will find tickets to sports games, spa and restaurant deals, and more. Just type in your location and keywords, and Yipit will list down all possible choices it got in your area, based on your preferences.

Hotwire

Hotwire, an Expedia company, truly has the heart of every traveler in mind when they started operating. They want travelers to get the best value for their money on everything – accommodations, car rentals, flights, activities, cruises, and more. And by waiting and checking on the provider, you can get as much as 60% in discounts. When you book with Hotwire, you will surely get the best deals available.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is another one-stop shop for travelers on a budget or anyone who wants to get the best deals out there. You can put in your travel dates and Skyscanner will literally scan for the best airfare and accommodations deals for you. With their vast reach (1.2 million accommodation choices, 30 languages, and 70 currencies), you would not miss a thing.

Important phone costs to consider when traveling

Traveling is a wonderful activity most people partake in. Unfortunately, no matter how fun traveling is and how excited you are about your next trip, it has its headaches as well. The biggest issue travelers usually encounter is high phone costs.

The simplest way to ensure you don’t rack up high phone bills when traveling is to leave your phone behind. This is the true meaning of being disconnected. However, realistically speaking, this might be like aiming for the moon since you might need it as you travel, like using Waze to find your way around a place, having your travel documents and transactions on your phone, simply getting in touch with your travel companion if you get separated, taking photos and videos of your trip even. If it really cannot be helped, remember these few things.

International roaming

Yes, it is important to let your friends and loved ones that you arrived safely at your destination. Yes, answering that message or call from your boss is essential. However, don’t be surprised if that one message or that quick call will cost you USD 10 to USD 20 easy. One of the things that can save you some dollars is to check if your provider has an affordable traveling plan. For a certain additional amount, you can call and text people without the fear of paying thousands of dollars in roaming charges. Another thing that you can do is to buy a local SIM card and use it for local calls. Just make sure your phone is not locked to your provider. If it is, try to buy an inexpensive unlocked phone that you can use. This is still much cheaper than using your locked phone and/or running up international calls and texts on your phone bill.

Use free Wi-Fi

Most developed countries have free Wi-Fi in public places and they are quite stable too. Instead of using your mobile data, which may kick your phone bill several notches up, use what is free to access your emails, receive and send messages online or place and accept calls. To make sure you don’t accidentally or intentionally turn on your mobile data, set it to Airplane mode or turn off Data Roaming. This way, it will only work if it detects Wi-Fi. You can also double check which of your apps use mobile data. Temporarily change the setting to Disable so it does not auto-activate and unknowingly start the meter on mobile data. As long as it is free, feel free to reply to a text message or place that call or play pay by phone casino. One caveat though, beware of making online transactions and entering personal financial information while using public Wi-Fi.

5 Best things to do in Lauderdale Lakes

Florida, USA is one of the most visited states in the US. Known for its mild climate, it was popular as a great retirement place for New Yorkers. Now, the state boasts of multiracial communities. One of the most known places in Florida is Lauderdale Lakes. Because of the climate, the atmosphere is more laid back and relaxed, especially preferred by retirees and tourists on holiday. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida surely has a lot to offer. Should you visit and decide to put down roots here, check out title loans Lauderdale Lakes to see how you can get started. 

If you find yourself in the city, you have got to go to Fort Lauderdale Beach. It was voted as the Travelers’ Choice of 2018 on TripAdvisor. Tourists from the US and from other countries love the usual tranquil waters, the sunny weather, and the clean beach. You can sunbathe, hang out at one of the many restaurants, or swim. There are also riverboat cruises and Segway tours at the Hugh Taylor Birch state park. Parasailing is also an alternative activity while at Fort Lauderdale Beach. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida surely has a lot to offer.  

Another worthy place to visit is Pompano Beach. It attracts tourists because of its quiet atmosphere and clean beach, perfect for watching the sunrise. It is not as crowded as Fort Lauderdale and tourists spot some parakeets here and there. While at Pompano, you must go to Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. Tourists love the seafood buffet on weekends, along with the various slot machines and some table games.  

If you are in the city, you have to watch a cricket game at the Central Broward Stadium, which boasts of an ICC International Cricket status, the only one in the US. It cost USD 70 million to build and can hold 20,000 people. But people also troop to the stadium to watch rugby matches and association football games. 

If you are into nature and flora and fauna, best to drop by the Fern Forest Nature Center. It boasts of over 30 varieties of ferns and other native plant species in South Florida. The park sits on 247 acres and is perfect for nature walks so you can enjoy nature au naturel. Admission is free. But that is not the only thing that you can do there. Aside from their nature trail, they also have a public picnic area, an exhibit hall, an amphitheater, and a wedding hall. They hold various events suitable for young and old alike. 

Lastly, you should not pass up the chance to visit the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop. It is touted as the second largest tourist attraction in the state (second to Walt Disney World Florida), as well as the largest drive-in theater and largest flea market in the world. It has a 14-screen drive-in theater and invites small business to set up a stall at their flea market. Twelve million people go to the swap shop every year. It was started by Betty and Preston Henn in 1963 and it was originally called the Thunderbird Drive-in Theater.