PHILADELPHIA’S TOP SPOTS FOR SOUVENIRS

March 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Visitors seeking a tricorn hat, feather quill pen or mini-Rocky can certainly find such souvenirs in and around Philadelphia’s best-known historical and cultural sites. Then again, those who prefer artisan-made goods and foods, cool T-shirts or locally made jewelry can stop into stylish shops all over the city to pick up unexpected Philly memorabilia. Here are some of the city’s best places to scoop up merchandise and more:

Fashion-Forward Finds:

  • Cheesesteaktees specializes in fun, cheeky Philly-themed tees, hoodies and decals. Patrons can pick up an iconic “illadelph” decal or go for a sports team raglan emblazoned with Sixers great Allen Iverson’s face and the word “Practice.” With the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl win in 2018, Cheesesteaktees introduced a slew of tees to celebrate the occasion: “City of Champions,” “Try Our Philly Special,” “Grease the Lamp Posts” and “We Won This Jawn,” to name just a few. The company also offers custom designs. cheesesteaktees.com
  • No need to leave one’s heart in Philadelphia when the LAGOS Heart of Philadelphia charm lets visitors bring Philly home. The locally based jewelry designer incorporated architectural details from four city landmarks—City Hall, Independence Hall, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts—into a must-have sterling silver heart that’s available on a necklace or bracelet. 1735 Walnut Street, (215) 567-0770, lagos.com
  • Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers and Union. Whatever the sport, whatever the team, neighbors Mitchell & Ness and Shibe Vintage Sports arethe spots for cool, authentic sports gear. To show their team spirit at a game or from a comfy sofa, celebrities and fans stop by to stock up on throwback jerseys, snapback caps, hoodies and other clothing licensed by major-league sports. Shibe also carries its own made-in-Philly line of retro T-shirts celebrating classic Philly landmarks, athletes and more, with new additions in stock thanks to the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win. Mitchell & Ness, 1201 Chestnut Street, (267) 273-7622, mitchellandness.com; Shibe, 137 S. 13th Street, (215) 566-2511, shibevintagesports.com
  • Philadelphia pride is runway-ready with designer Nicole Miller’s collection of scarves, neckties and bowties, all in silk and all bearing logos and images of Philly icons, landmarks and institutions. Miller’s trademark bright colors on a dark background make the items fashionable keepsakes. The Bellevue, 200 S. Broad Street, (215) 546-5007; 4249 Main Street, (215) 930-0307, nicolemillerphiladelphia.com
  • Carrying everything from authentic, licensed Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers and Union apparel to team-themed Christmas items, postcards and novelties, Rittenhouse Square’s Philly Team Store is a home run for die-hard Philadelphia sports fans. Some of the most coveted souvenirs at the store include the Mike Schmidt plush player doll and Richie Ashburn and Maikel Franco mini-figures. 1720 Chestnut Street, (215) 941-5002; Suburban Station, 1515 Market Street, #117, (215) 279-9289, phillyteamstore.com

Tasty Take-Home Treats:

  • Among the 80 merchants inside Reading Terminal Market, the Pennsylvania General Store serves as a go-to spot for Philly food gifts. Shoppers can snap up local favorites such as Wilbur Buds (originally made in Old City), Hope’s Cookies, Tastykake and Horn & Hardart coffee. These treats, along with “Welcome to Philly” and Eagles “Super Bowl Champs” tins and baskets are available online or through a mail-order catalogue when supplies need replenishing. The store also carries a full line of non-food souvenirs: glasses, mugs, T-shirts, books, charms and the like. 12th & Arch Streets, (215) 592-9772, pageneralstore.com
  • Half the fun of Shane Confectionery is the time travel—it kicks in when visitors see the turn-of-the-century décor. Otherwise, it’s all about the sweets. Handmade in this legendary shop that was restored by brothers Eric and Ryan Berley, the signature buttercreams and caramels, old-fashioned clear toy candies and more Wonka-esque goodies satisfy any sweet tooth. In 2014, the brothers began making their own chocolate, and visitors can reap the sweet benefits via bars, bon bons and drinking chocolates. 110 Market Street, (215) 922-1048, shanecandies.com
  • Among the over-21 set, Philly’s Yards Brewing Company is a name to know—even more so now that they’ve relocated to a 70,000-square-foot facility in the city’s Northern Liberties neighborhood. After touring the brewery and eating and drinking in the taproom, brew lovers can pick up a six-pack or growler of one of Yards’ award-winning craft beers—including their Ales of the Revolution Series: a Thomas Jefferson tavern ale, Benjamin Franklin spruce and a George Washington porter. Back at home, the growler can serve as a fond memory of one of the nation’s great beer cities. T-shirts, sweatshirts, pint glasses and other swag are also available. 500 Spring Garden Street, (215) 525-0175, yardsbrewing.com

More Must-Haves:

  • Guests can load up on Duross & Langel’s scent-sational natural soaps, hair and skin-care products and Philly-themed soy candles. The colorful line is handmade at the charming shop, where concoctions include Moroccan cedar, blood-orange margarita and black pepper. Add in their rubber ducky soap collection, natural care products for dogs, upstairs hair salon and men’s grooming lounge, and D&L serves as a one-stop inner-and-outer beauty shop for the whole family. 117 S. 13th Street, (215) 592-7627, durossandlangel.com
  • On the always-buzzing 13th Street, Open House—owned by partners Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney—scores big in the cool souvenirs department. TheWe Heart Philly line includes items such as framed graphic prints of Philly neighborhood names, pint glasses adorned with local landmarks, “I (Pretzel) Philly” baby onesies, LOVE sculpture necklaces, Liberty Bell ornaments and Philly dish towels, mugs, bottle openers, pillowcases, flasks and totes. 107 S. 13th Street, (215) 922-1415, openhouseliving.com
  • Old City’s Philadelphia Independents combines the compellingly collectible, absolutely functional works of dozens of Philly ceramicists, silkscreeners, illustrators, jewelers, knitters and other modern makers so emblematic of the city’s rising artisan community. The shop, owned and curated by Tiffica Benza, Ashley Peel and Jennifer Provost, rotates its selection of all-handmade, all-local offerings often. 35 N. 3rd Street, (267) 773-7316, philadelphiaindependents.com
  • Across the street from Open House and also owned by the Safran-Turney powerhouse, Verde attracts shoppers with its line of Marcie Blaine Artisanal Chocolates. The Philadelphia series features Philly icons on the candies: LOVE sculpture (with raspberry ganache), Liberty Bell (70 percent cacao, vanilla bean), soft pretzel (peanut butter and pretzel ganache) and Philly skyline (hazelnut, milk chocolate praline). 108 S. 13th Street, (215) 546-8700, verdephiladelphia.com

Classic Souvenirs:

  • For more than 150 years, Humphrys Flags has been manufacturing all manner of flags in  Philadelphia (including the City of Philadelphia’s flags, of course). Directly and appropriately across the street from the Betsy Ross House, the retail arm of the now international company stocks petite to enormous versions of Old Glory, along with flags from other nations, states, organizations and even times. Custom flags are also available. 238 Arch Street, (800) 227-3524, humphrysflag.com
  • Two of Philly’s most famous citizens, Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross, still boast rock-star status in their city, and the choices for take-home items are endless at the Independence Visitor Center and the Betsy Ross House. Young patriots can purchase kid-sized mob caps (women’s fabric caps traditionally worn indoors by women) or tricorn hats, while parents can go home with coasters imprinted with some of Ben’s favorite quotes about beer at the Visitor Center’s soon-to-expand store. And flag fans can choose from 13-star flags like Betsy’s original design or cross-stitch needlepoint versions for do-it-yourselfers at the Betsy Ross House’s pint-sized store. Visitor Center, 6th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676, giftshop.phlvisitorcenter.com; Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street, (215) 686-1252, historicphiladelphia.org/betsy-ross-house
  • On a cobblestone side street in the shadow of historic Christ Church, Old City T-Shirts and Souvenirs, “Home of $5 custom-made Philadelphia T-Shirts,” offers serious bargains on custom screen-printed T-shirts and active apparel. Since 1977, guests have been able to choose from a variety of styles and colors, then pay a mere five bucks to have Rocky, the Liberty Bell, a Philly team or local attraction printed on it within 30 seconds. 233 Church Street, (215) 925-7860, oldcitytshirts.com
  • When the goal is a Philly tchotchke, Xeno’s Candy ’n’ Gifts delivers—pint glasses, plates, key chains, mugs, thermoses, sweatshirts, chocolates, mini statuary and knickknacks galore. Also in stock Old City emporium of souvenirs: comic book character goods and, for no charge at all, maps, directions and advice from the friendly staff. 231 Chestnut Street, (215) 922-1445, xenosgifts.com

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.

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Cure Morning Back Pain Instantly With These Ideas

March 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Do you ever wake up with a really sore back? We’re talking so sore it almost hurts to continue lying down. In some ways, this is beneficial as it means you get out of bed quickly! On a serious note, waking up in pain every day is never fun – or normal. If you fall into this category, here are a few things you can do to instantly cure the pain forever!

Invest In A New Mattress With The Right Support

Most people find that their morning back pain is the result of a bad mattress. If a mattress is too soft or firm, then it can cause muscular irritations. Essentially, you develop lots of little knots that create trigger points, which cause the pain. This is either because the mattress you use is so soft that it causes your lower back to sag down and arch, or because it’s so hard that your back just can’t handle the pressure for eight hours straight! Regardless, as it shows on www.Mattress-Guides.net, you can find mattresses that have just the right amount of softness, while still maintaining a bit of firmness. This type of mattress is great for sore backs, and you’ll notice the change instantly! If you can’t afford a new mattress, then try getting a good mattress topper instead to provide additional support.

Stretch Before Going To Bed

One of the easiest things you can do to get rid of morning back pain is to stretch before you hit the hay. There are many simple stretches you can do to get rid of lower back pain, and I’ve embedded a video to show you some of my favorites. Basically, you want to target your hips and lower back. Tight hips cause back pain because one of your hip flexor muscles actually attaches to your lumbar spine (lower back) and can pull down on it, causing a painful arch. Loosening these muscles helps prevent this from happening, and stretching your lower back also helps relieve any tension that’s built up throughout the day. Also, I’d suggest adding some self-massage in as well before you stretch. Use something like a foam roller or lacrosse ball to do this.

Sleep On Your Back

If you sleep on your front or side, then this might be why you wake up with back pain. Sleeping on your front is particularly bad because it causes an excessive arch. If you’ve been paying attention, then you’ll notice I’ve already mentioned this is a bad thing! It puts too much stress on your lower back muscles, which causes the pain. Sleep on your back, and you keep everything in perfect alignment. As a result, you’ll wake up pain-free.

 

Persistent lower back pain is by far and away one of the most common health issues out there. So many people go to sleep and then wake up with a nagging pain that doesn’t go away for a few hours. Try these ideas out, and you’ll see an instant change overnight.

 

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How Shea Butter Can Help You Achieve Gorgeous Skin

March 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), famous for its high fatty acid content, primarily oleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid. These fatty acids play key roles in managing certain body functions like controlling inflammations, renewing cells, and maintaining vascular health.

 

While it can be eaten and used as a cooking oil as long as it is 100 percent pure and unrefined, shea butter is more popular as an ingredient in beauty products like moisturizers and lotions. This is because shea butter melts at body temperature, making it easier and comfortable to apply, and is also absorbed rapidly by the skin.

 

But apart from these rather simple properties, why is shea butter such a popular ingredient for beauty products, like Skinfood’s range of hand and foot creams, lotions, lip balms, and body oils? Let’s take a look.

 

Shea Butter is a Natural Emollient

What makes the body respond well to shea butter is that its biochemical properties resemble that of the human body’s natural moisturizers produced by the sebaceous glands. Shea butter is also a naturally occurring lipid, making it a natural (and powerful) emollient. You can apply 100 percent pure shea butter onto your skin like a lotion or use products that use it as an ingredient  if you don’t like the slightly smoky, nutty smell of unprocessed shea butter. Either way, shea butter will work wonders to moisturize and soften skin that’s prone to roughness, dryness, and scaling or flaking.

 

Shea Butter can Smooth Out Wrinkles

There are many ways that shea butter can help with healing and preventing the further formation of wrinkles. For one, shea butter forms a protective barrier on the skin, shielding it from elements like pollution, sunlight (shea butter contains low levels of SPF), and harsh winds which can all contribute in the premature development of fine lines and wrinkles. Shea butter also contains high amounts of vitamins A and E; the former aids in faster, more efficient cellular turnover and collagen production, while the latter moisturizes, nourishes, and further protects the skin from both external and internal elements. If the skin is has sufficient collagen and moisture, it is less likely to develop wrinkles and has an easier time to recover from such damage.

 

Because of these properties, shea butter can also be used to minimize the appearance of stretch marks caused by pregnancy. Just smooth liberal amounts of shea butter onto the areas where stretch marks usually appear, like the belly, hips, thighs, and even under the breasts, even before your start to “show.” Applying shea butter will help increase your skin’s elasticity and thus reduce the likelihood of developing deep stretch marks.

 

Shea Butter has Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Raw shea butter is rich in vitamins A and E, anti-inflammatory agents like cinnamic acid, and antimicrobial components like catechins. All of these combined help reduce swelling, redness, and irritations caused by skin conditions like rosacea, dermatitis, and eczema, speed up the healing of wounds, and reduce the appearance of blemishes. And because shea butter is easily absorbed and can penetrate deeper into the skin, its effects can be experienced faster.

 

Additionally, the vitamin content of shea butter can also help with the management and treatment of acne, reducing overall redness and eventual scarring or skin darkening. It is also gentle enough to use on the lips and the delicate area around the eyes, should these areas suffer from inflammation and/or dryness.

 

African women have been using shea butter for various medicinal and personal care purposes as early as the 14th century. This just proves that shea butter is not a fad — it’s an effective and natural ingredient that will help make your skin healthier and look more beautiful than ever. 

Filed Under: beauty, health Tagged With: , ,

Travel tips You should know as EU citizen

March 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Whilѕt a lоt more реорlе аrе now tаking their holidays оutѕidе оf thеir hоmе еnvirоnmеnt, it саn ѕtill bе a dаunting dесiѕiоn fоr many to go оutѕidе of thеir соmfоrt zоnе.

If trаvеlling to a рlасе whеrе уоu hаvе nоt рrеviоuѕlу ventured, it is оf thе раrаmоunt importance tо prepare fоr your journey еаrlу and tо аѕсеrtаin thе utmоѕt dеtаil роѕѕiblе bеfоrеhаnd.

Thаt bеing ѕаid, it iѕ ѕtill a case of exciting аdvеnturе fоr thе person whо iѕ embarking on their firѕt holiday to an unknоwn рlасе (аѕ fаr as thеу are concerned) or even the frеԛuеnt trаvеllеr whо is vеnturing оutѕidе thеir nоrmаl аrеа оf knowledge.

Hоwеvеr or wherever thе mооd takes уоur fаnсу, thеrе is nо place fоr a саѕuаl аррrоасh, if it is your first viѕit tо a new destination and it iѕ imреrаtivе that уоu take all thе nесеѕѕаrу ѕtерѕ in order to prevent the holiday becoming a diѕаѕtеr.

The most important thing is to get your visa. ESTA iѕ a wеb-bаѕеd dаtа соllесtiоn ѕуѕtеm, initially launched by thе Dераrtmеnt оf Hоmеlаnd Security in Auguѕt 2008, which dеtеrminеѕ the preliminary еligibilitу оf viѕitоrѕ to trаvеl “viѕа-frее”, undеr the VWP, рriоr to trаvеling to thе United Stаtеѕ. There are many ways how you can check

According to rесеnt DHS data, mоrе than 1.2 milliоn ESTA аррliсаtiоnѕ have bееn rесеivеd, and over 98% оf аррliсаntѕ have been аррrоvеd. DHS further ѕtаtеѕ that will take a ‘rеаѕоnаblе аррrоасh’ tо trаvеlеrѕ whо hаvе nоt оbtаinеd аn approved trаvеl аuthоrizаtiоn via ESTA, аnd will соntinuе an aggressive аdvеrtiѕing and outreach саmраign thrоughоut 2009.

Trаvеlеrѕ withоut аn approved ESTA mау bе dеniеd bоаrding, experience dеlауеd processing, or bе denied аdmiѕѕiоn аt a U.S. роrt of еntrу.

Thе сitizеnѕ оr nаtiоnаlѕ оf thе following countries аrе сurrеntlу еligiblе tо travel tо thе United States undеr thе VWP: Andorra, Auѕtrаliа, Auѕtriа, Bеlgium, Brunei, thе Czесh Rерubliс, Dеnmаrk, Eѕtоniа, Finlаnd, Frаnсе, Germany, Hungаrу, Iсеlаnd, Irеlаnd, Itаlу, Japan, the Rерubliс оf Kоrеа, Lаtviа, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mаltа, Monaco, thе Nеthеrlаndѕ, New Zealand, Nоrwау, Portugal, Sаn Mаrinо, Singapore, Slоvаkiа, Slоvеniа, Sраin, Sweden, Switzеrlаnd, and the Esta Unitеd Kingdоm.

Before You Travel!

As a EU citizen, bеfоrе you begin уоur jоurnеу, be sure to have thе fоllоwing dосumеntѕ аnd mаkе еxtrа сорiеѕ! Stаrt a trаvеling file and kеер сорiеѕ of all уоur important dосumеntѕ in it аt hоmе. Tаkе сорiеѕ оf thе policies уоu’rе bringing with уоu аnd рlасе thеm in уоur саrrу-оn оr money belt.

  1. Insurance Documents

Hеаlth Inѕurаnсе: Kеер a copy оf уоur inѕurаnсе роliсу, соntасt рhоnе numbеrѕ, and policy numbеrѕ. Make nоtеѕ оn what iѕ соvеrеd whilе уоu аrе away frоm hоmе.

Travelers Insurance: If уоu use travelers inѕurаnсе, kеер copies оf роliсiеѕ fоr quick rеfеrеnсе. These роliсiеѕ саn inсludе triр intеrruрtiоn оr саnсеllаtiоn inѕurаnсе, travel lifе insurance, bаggаgе replacement, аnd trаvеl medical coverage. For more info read this article on What You Should Know About Travel Insurance.

Credit Cаrd Inѕurаnсе Cоvеrаgе: Mаnу сrеdit саrdѕ will рrоvidе trаvеl inѕurаnсе for a vаriеtу оf ѕituаtiоnѕ such аѕ lost luggage, lоѕt оr broken itеmѕ, аnd even lifе аnd mеdiсаl соvеrаgе if уоur trip is раid uѕing thе card. Knоw what уоur credit саrd соvеrѕ whilе trаvеling, and keep a copy of the роliсу.

  1. Pаѕѕроrt

If you are a frеԛuеnt international trаvеlеr, keep уоur раѕѕроrt uр-tо-dаtе in саѕе оf last minutе triрѕ. Sоmе соuntriеѕ rеԛuirе thаt уоur U.S. раѕѕроrt be valid аt least six mоnthѕ оr longer bеуоnd thе dаtеѕ оf уоur triр. It саn tаkе several wееkѕ tо rесеivе оr rеnеw a раѕѕроrt. Mаkе twо сорiеѕ оf уоur раѕѕроrt, kеер оnе fоr уоur travel file, аnd tаkе оnе with уоu while traveling. A сору of уоur passport will hеlр agents to rерlасе it if уоur раѕѕроrt iѕ lоѕt оr stolen.

  1. Crеdit Cаrd Numbers аnd Contacts

Writе down thе саrd numbеrѕ, еxрirаtiоn date, and соntасt phone numbеrѕ of all сrеdit саrdѕ аnd phone саrdѕ, and trаvеlеrѕ check rерlасеmеnt numbеrѕ. Make twо copies, оnе fоr уоur travel file аnd оnе to take with you. Inform уоur сrеdit саrd соmраnу thаt уоu will be uѕing уоur саrd tо make рurсhаѕеѕ in a fоrеign country. Many сrеdit саrd companies hаvе security соntrоlѕ thаt will invаlidаtе уоur сrеdit саrd if the саrd ѕhоwѕ “оut-оf-раttеrn” buуing such аѕ fоrеign purchases. Having the сrеdit card соmраnу рutting a hold оn your credit саrd can be еmbаrrаѕѕing аnd time соnѕuming to straighten оut.

  1. Emеrgеnсу Cоntасt Names

Yоu ѕhоuld hаvе a liѕt оf nаmеѕ and phone numbеrѕ of fаmilу аnd/оr friеndѕ that can bе соntасtеd in саѕе of аn еmеrgеnсу. Mаkе аt least 3 copies аnd carry оnе on уоur реrѕоn, оnе fоr your home filе аnd оnе for уоur carry-on.

Other Tips You Should Know

Now that the Intеrnеt hаѕ wеll become оf аgе, it is роѕѕiblе tо find оut a lot of information thаt will assist in рlаnning уоur trаvеl, however, after obtaining your visa, I аm providing hеrе ѕоmе basic роintѕ that rеаllу muѕt be tаkеn ѕеriоuѕlу tо еnѕurе уоu еnjоу еvеrу minutе of уоur travels.

Therefore, thе firѕt thing that ѕhоuld bе done iѕ to ѕit dоwn and mаkе a соmрrеhеnѕivе list оf the things tо bе taken into consideration:

  1. Where dо you want tо tаkе уоur vасаtiоn?
  2. Are thеrе any problems in that соuntrу оr area (local unrеѕt – gangskidnappings -diѕеаѕеѕ еtс)?
  3. Liѕt thе places whеrе you might find оut about ѕuсh problems.
  4. Inѕurаnсе – one оf thе mоѕt vital thingѕ tо bе undеrtаkеn bоth frоm a mеdiсаl and ѕаfеtу аѕресt.
  5. Is уоur раѕѕроrt up-to dаtе with аdеԛuаtе timе lеft in саѕе аnуthing wеnt wrong?
  6. Iѕ a viѕа necessary tо visit the аrеа аnd hоw long dоеѕ it tаkе to оbtаin.
  7. Arе thеrе аnу rеѕtriсtiоnѕ оn thе аmоunt of mоnеу уоu саn tаkе into the соuntrу and аlѕо out оf the соuntrу?
  8. What iѕ thе bеѕt wау оf getting to thе соuntrу аnd саn уоu gо anywhere еlѕе еn-rоutе.
  9. Will you bе tаking уоung children or bаbiеѕ with уоu, thеrе are lоtѕ оf imрliсаtiоnѕ, if уоu are аnd this will need tо bе lооkеd аt саrеfullу.
  10. Whеn iѕ thе bеѕt timе in thе year to viѕit thаt рlасе, this iѕ vеrу imроrtаnt – there соuld bе hurriсаnеѕ – tоо hоt wеаthеr, tоо соld – there iѕ uѕuаllу an idеаl time to visit -rеmеmbеr ѕеаѕоnѕ are аt diffеrеnt time in diffеrеnt раrtѕ of thе wоrld.

 

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Roto-Rooter 101 (Unclogging the Bathroom Sink)

March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Have you ever had a clogged sink or bathtub? If you are like me, the answer is yes, all the time yes.  The bathroom sink is the major pain in my house, and there is not much that seems to help. On a regular yet irregular basis, it gets clogged up and fills with water and whatever else was going on at the time.
We recently tried Roto-Rooter, and as you can tell this is NOT a staged photo. For real.
I have no idea why it keeps clogging up, we’ve snaked it, pulled the U-shaped thing out and replaced it, the whole nine. Who knows? Not me, that’s for sure.
So, after this clog, we followed the directions on the Roto-Rooter bottle, and pured half the bottle down the drain. After it cleared, we poured hot water down the drain as requested. It did indeed keep it clog free for quite some time.
There are quite a few options of Roto–Rooter products. You can check out thesite, http://rotorooter-products.com to see the full line of options.
Here is a video with some tips on unclogging a stubborn sink from Roto-Rooter;

If you end up in a sticky situation, it’s always good to have some Roto-Rooter on hand. Having to run out to the store with a clogged-up sink is never fun- and you know it’s likely to happen with you have a house full of guests or you are running out the door (or some such mess, it’s always something).

Head to the website, and see which product best fits your need. Keep some on hand for your next emergency, it will make your life that much easier.

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What Military Families Should Know about moving to Hawaii

March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

From its peaks and craters to the picturesque beaches, Hawaii is one of the best places to live. Moreover, your family will enjoy all that the island has to offer when it comes to exploring.

 

Here are some things that you need to know:

 

Climate

Thanks to the trade winds, the temperatures in Hawaii average about 85 degrees all year round. However, the landscape in this place varies depending on where you are. For instance, the west side of Oahu is drier than the east side. The North Shore is mostly made up of a rocky shoreline and many surfing events take place there, while Central Oahu is mostly a farmland.

 

Traveling to Hawaii

Moving to this state is more complicated than your average Permanent Change of Station because you have to plan everything, including the shipping of cars and pets in advance.

 

Unaccompanied Baggage

Service members who are relocating to Hawaii are usually allowed to ship a few household goods before they send their regular shipment. Known as the express shipment, this shipment will count towards your household weight limit and usually includes things like clothing, small appliances and kitchen items. You should take this opportunity to ship outdoor kids toys and scuba gear for yourself.

 

Depending on where you are moving from and the moving company you will use, unaccompanied shipments might arrive after the HHG shipment, so you should be ready.

 

Vehicle Shipping

When it comes to cars, the military usually pays to ship just one car to Hawaii. Also, check with your shipping company whether it is possible to ship motorcycles with your other household goods. When it comes to shipping a second vehicle, you can either pay out of pocket or sell it. You can ship your car to Hawaii with Executive Auto Shippers for example, if you are willing to pay out of pocket.

 

Pets and Lodging

If you want to move to Hawaii with your pets, you should look at Hawaii’s website for animal quarantine regulations. If your pet qualifies, you can pick it up from the airport’s quarantine station and take it home. However, if your pet does not qualify, it will have to complete the standard quarantine time of 120 days before you take it home.

 

You also have to look for temporary housing that allows animals before you get a house. Remember that fees and weight limits might apply, so be sure to double check.

 

Housing

You will get a house depending on whether you are in the army, navy, coast guard, air force, or Marine Corps. You should also consider living off base as long as there is a reasonable commute to your military base. The most popular off-base places to live include Salt Lake, Hawaii Kai, Ewa Beach, and Windward Side.

 

Schools

If your children are of school-going age, the best place that you can start is by contacting a School Liaison Officer from your branch. This person can help you to register your child. Although there are no DoD schools in this state, Hawaii has many good charter, public, and private schools.

 

If you prefer homeschooling for your kids, there is a large homeschooling community at this place. Before your child can be enrolled in any school, he/she should submit a negative tuberculosis test.

 

The Beaches are Amazing

Lanikai Beach – known for its beautiful blue water and white sands, this beach is ideal for boogie boarding and sunbathing. Moreover, your kids can surf here thanks to the low surf.

 

Hanauma Beach – this is the most popular spot for snorkeling on the island. You can pay several dollars for a shuttle ride down the hill to the parking lot.

 

Packing up your whole life to start over afresh is never easy, even if you have a new job assignment. Hopefully, the above tips will make your move much smoother and easier on you and your family.

 

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GOTRAX Releases Limited Edition GALAXY Versions of its Best Selling Hoverboards

March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

GOTRAX™, a Denver-based brand of electric rideables driven by imagination and innovation with a focus on science and education, today announces limited edition GALAXY versions of two of its most popular hoverboards for sale, the off-road ready HOVERFLY XL, and the budget-friendly HOVERFLY ECO.

The limited edition GALAXY versions feature a durable and unique colorful water transfer graphic wrapping the board, consisting of signature space-themed GOTRAX characters.

GOTRAX engineered the HOVERFLY XL to take riders beyond the pavement with dual 350-watt motors and 8.5-inch rubber all-terrain tires for maximum traction in dirt, sand, gravel and grass, and the ability to scale slopes up to 30 degrees.

The HOVERFLY ECO is one of the best values available on a hoverboard for sale, featuring powered by dual 250-watt electric motors capable of propelling riders up to 7.4 miles-per-hour for 12 miles on a single charge.

Both are fully UL 2272 certified for electrical and charging safety.

In addition to the limited edition GALAXY graphics, the XL is also now available in Neptune Blue, Planetary Purple and Pulsar Pink for a total of seven cosmic colors.

The GOTRAX HOVERFLY XL and HOVERFLY ECO retail for $299 and $199 respectively and are available now at GOTRAX.com for $229 and $169 for a limited time, as well as onAmazon.com.

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New Video Series Reveals Details about Toy-Con Garage Mode for Nintendo Labo #Nintendo #VideoGames

March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

In the first video of a short series, Nintendo revealed new details about Toy-Con Garage mode, an inventive feature included with the software in each Nintendo Labo kit for the Nintendo Switch system (sold separately). Toy-Con Garage introduces basic principles of technology in a fun way, allowing Nintendo Labo users to combine various inputs and outputs to invent new ways to play.

Between now and the launch of Nintendo Labo on April 20, Nintendo will release videos showing off more information about different Toy-Con Garage features and tips.

To view the first video in the series and learn more about Toy-Con Garage, visit https://labo.nintendo.com/invent/. Highlights from the video include the following:

  • Users can discover creative ways to play with their Toy-Con projects, such as steering the RC Car with the Fishing Rod or using the Motorbike as an instrument. It’s even possible for users to invent their own Toy-Con creations using common materials from around their house!
  • To make all of this possible, Toy-Con Garage mode includes different input and output selections, called “nodes.” Input nodes include actions such as button presses or motions, while output nodes include reactions such as sound effects or vibrations.
  • The input nodes vary slightly for the software in each Nintendo Labo kit*, encouraging users to experiment with different conditional statements (i.e., if you do this, then that happens) and create new experiences.

Stay tuned for more exciting Nintendo Labo updates at https://labo.nintendo.com/.

*Toy-Con Garage mode in the Variety Kit includes input nodes for Toy-Con Fishing Rod, Toy-Con House, Toy-Con RC Car, Toy-Con Piano and Toy-Con Motorbike. Toy-Con Garage mode in the Robot Kit includes input nodes for Toy-Con Robot.

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