Five Tips To Design Your Legacy
October 24, 2007
By definition, a legacy is something that comes down to someone
from a predecessor or from the past. Most of us want to leave
behind some kind of legacy for our children and grandchildren,
or for future generations.
Ready-to-Use Folding Personal Sauna
October 24, 2007
If you swear by sauna bath for your fitness regime and are planning to get a personal sauna unit for your home then this folding sauna has an edge over the few others, we have told you about in the past. The IronMan Elite Folding Carbon Pro Sauna features a unique space-saving feature that folds to 1/4 of the set-up size for compact storage. It also includes a stereo CD/radio sound system, easy to reach digital control panel, and tempered and tinted glass door and windows. Besides it’s folding design the CarbonPro sauna is more advantageous then a ceramic heater sauna vis…its more skin friendly, enables deeper tissue penetration et al. So, users can stay in longer than traditional ceramic heated saunas because of the unique heat distribution. The interior and exterior are constructed of Canadian red cedar wood with natural soothing aroma and it can accommodate up to 2 persons. Last but not the least, Ironman sauna requires no assembly and is ready to use out of the box in just 5 minutes. As for the price tag, it’s easily affordable for $2,900.
Base jumping in the world’s deepest cave shaft
October 22, 2007
How about base jumping into the world’s deepest cave shaft? Yes you’ve guessed it right I’m talking about the Cave of Swallows, a cave that is so deep that it can engulf the Empire State Building. Located in a rain-forest in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the cave is a 400m vertical shaft and the dream destination of adrenaline junkies. It takes approximately 12 seconds to base jump from the top of the cave but believe me it’s not a sport for the faint hearted.
Top Casinos For Celebrity Gamblers
October 18, 2007
Walk into the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and you’ll see a poker room graced by a chandelier of glittering, handblown Murano glass. You’re apt to see another kind of luminary: stars like Matt Damon, Demi Moore and Alex Rodriguez who come to the Bellagio to gamble.
What attracts the famous to certain gaming destinations?
“When celebrities are deciding where they want to go gambling, they usually stick to places which are upscale and where there are other things to do besides gamble,” says Frank Fahernkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “They also tend to stick close to home, since these getaways are generally shorter than other kinds of vacations.”
Experts say Las Vegas is by far the most popular celebrity gambling destination in the world. It’s an hour flight from Los Angeles and has many nongaming activities such as luxury shopping at stores like Hermes and Louis Vuitton, top-notch dining with restaurants by acclaimed chefs such as Emeril Lagasse and Tom Colicchio, lavish spas including the Qua at Caesar’s Palace and a thriving nightlife including clubs like Pure.
Wallet-Friendly Luxury Hotels
Vegas also gives stars privacy. In Sin City, they can play to the paparazzi or enjoy private gaming. “Celebs love coming to Las Vegas because the casinos are very accomodating to them,” says Howard Lefkowitz, president of Vegas.com, an online travel and concierge service. “They can have a spectacle or be shielded from the public eye.”
The Palms, for instance, will arrange poker, craps, roulette or blackjack in separate areas of the casino for celebrities by request. Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Jason Giambi, Ryan Seacrest and Pamela Anderson frequent this 95,000-square-foot casino, which has both a general gaming area and the Mint, a high-limit lounge offering games such as blackjack and roulette.
There is also a no-limit poker parlor where Ben Affleck (a regular) has played until dawn with $1,000 chips. Pamela Anderson has gambled at her Playboy slot machine, and Bruce Willis has been down $100,000 at the craps table in the general gaming area.
Except for Las Vegas, there were a dearth of upscale gambling places stateside until 2003, when the Borgata, a luxury hotel and casino, opened in Atlantic City. A slew of luxury stores–including Gucci and Armani–followed in 2006. The transformation of Atlantic City from tacky to tony has drawn celebrities such as Nick Lachey, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Lynn Sigler and Jon Bon Jovi to gamble at the Borgata. The upscale 161,000-square-foot casino with gleaming hardwood floors, graceful archways and marble columns has 4,100 slot machines, 200 gaming tables and a separate 85-table poker room. Popular celebrity games here include poker, craps (Jamie Lynn Sigler has been spotted at the craps table) and blackjack.
“The Borgata has revolutionized Atlantic City because it is sophisticated and classy,” says Fahernkopf. “It has attracted a more upscale crowd which includes celebrities, especially those who live in New York City, since it’s close by.”
Internationally, stars head to the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia. With a main floor that is a third-of-a-mile long, this is the largest casino in the Southern Hemisphere and has drawn Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick and Justin Timberlake. Off the main floor, the casino has smaller themed rooms for games including poker, baccarat and blackjack. Andy Roddick has played poker in the designated room on several occasions.
Head to one of these top spots and you’ll find that while you’re not guaranteed big winnings, spotting a celebrity might make losing easier.
How To Be A Workaholic - Without Killing Yourself
October 9, 2007
Robert Berman is a workaholic.
He works 60 to 70 hours a week. When the 59-year-old communications consultant from Toronto is on one of his frequent business trips, he often “fails to acknowledge that it’s Friday” and works through the weekends for weeks at a time. He’s missed birthdays with his kids and anniversaries with his wife of 38 years. He even missed his daughter’s high school graduation.
“According to most people I know, I was born a workaholic,” Berman says. “I enjoy doing what I do. I prefer to do business 24 hours a day if I can.”
Workaholics are common. These people are often compelled, and even excited, to be at work more than social situations, whether they enjoy what they do or not. United States workers put in an average of 1,804 hours of work in 2006. That’s a lot less than some countries–Korea topped the list with 2,305 hours–but it’s still almost 300 more hours than the average Frenchman works.
Yet, those long hours don’t have to wreak havoc on your life, and there are ways to make your time more enjoyable (and more efficient), both in the office and out.
It all begins before you get to the office with a full night’s rest. “Be sure you are getting enough sleep. You can trade sleep for more work hours, but chances are you won’t work as well if you aren’t 100%,” says Gwenith G. Fisher, Ph.D., an assistant research scientist at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. “Recent research shows that a short nap can be a great way to re-energize during the day without making it too difficult to sleep at night.”
Power naps, typically 20 to 30 minutes, during the work day, can keep you at the top of your game, but are often frowned upon by the corporate machine. It’s best to shut the office door when catching a snooze, but if you’re cubicle-bound, take a 20-minute nap at a place like MetroNaps in New York City, which provides futuristic-looking EnergyPods for a small fee.
Keeping a regular exercise regimen can keep you from losing your cool at the office. Exercise not only keeps your body in shape, but it relieves tension in your muscles and relaxes your mind. Alan Meltzer, CEO of Bethesda, Md.-based insurance agency The Meltzer Group, regularly starts work at 5:30 a.m. and usually doesn’t make it out of the office until after 7 p.m. every night, but his time at the gym keeps him sane. “I work out every morning at 4 a.m.,” says Meltzer. “I usually read on the elliptical. Or I just started learning Hebrew, and I practice saying the words and learning the tenses.”
Meltzer has been learning Hebrew for the past two years as a way to pass the time and keep his thoughts from straying to work on his downtime. “Some people devote more time to work to fill gaps of time. Find a hobby and spend more time doing something that interests you,” says Fisher of the Institute for Social Research. Hobbies give people a reason to leave the office and to stop thinking about work; they can be anything from fishing to golf to crossword puzzles, even pets or another language. “I got a dog, which gave me a really good and fun reason to leave the office on time at 6:00 every day and then go take a nice walk, rather than staying later at the office or bringing too much work home,” adds Fisher.
Psychologists say the most important way to achieve a work-life balance is to leave your work at the office. “The boundary between work and home can be really blurry, especially with technology, which can be both a help and a hindrance,” says Fisher. “Try setting boundaries by turning off [PDAs and cellphones].”
Stop scheduling business appointments or trips on your daughter’s birthday or your wedding anniversary. That’s just inconsiderate. Try instead to set aside regularly scheduled time with your family each week. Only schedule work meetings for regular business hours–no 6 a.m. breakfast meetings or business over after- work cocktails.
The best way to cut back your time at the office is by prioritizing. Making a list of all of your daily tasks and keeping that list to a set number of things allows you to move from one activity to the other without getting distracted. “Review and revise regularly,” says Fisher. “Keep a notepad next to your bed in case you wake up and think of something–being able to write it down right then may help you fall asleep more quickly so you don’t stay up fretting that you won’t remember in the morning.”
If you spend too much time responding to e-mails, turn them off. Set aside a certain period of the day to answer them unless your profession requires you to respond immediately.
Surviving a 70-hour workweek is brutal, but with a little schedule tweaking and occasionally turning off your BlackBerry, you just might make it to the weekend.
Luxury Resorts in Canada: Park Hayatt Toronto
October 4, 2007
Park Hayatt Toronto, Canada
Toronto, Canada has one of the most luxurious companies that have brought one of the best-ranked hotels into the upscale Yorkville area. The Park Hayatt in Toronto is the luxury hotel that you dream about, with its high-end retail locations and 5-star restaurants that leave nothing to the imagination. The service at the Park Hayatt is something that you only have to experience to understand. The Park Hayatt takes care of car rentals; high speed Internet, luxury spa services and room services.
The hotel has 346 rooms in two towers. The north tower has 15 floors and is contemporary in design and décor. The 18-story south tower has a more European atmosphere. Rooms in the south tower are all slightly different and have windows that open. All rooms have featherbed, duvets, marble bathrooms, designer toiletries, robes and slippers, twice-daily housekeeping, and original art by local artists. Large work desks have phones with data ports. High-speed Internet access is complimentary, as are daily newspapers. Separate sitting areas have sofas or upholstered chairs and coffee tables.
The Roof Lounge
Located on the 18th floor, The Roof Lounge has earned a reputation as one of the best bars in the world. It is favored equally by locals and celebrities. Rich suede and leather complements the incredible panoramas of the Toronto skyline rather than overpowering it. Order a vintage Pinot Noir and sit by the inviting fireplace of this downtown Toronto lounge on a crisp fall evening. Make your way out to the summer terrace with a refreshing Cosmopolitan and stunning views of this vibrant city. Stave off hunger with selections from the light bar menu. Enjoy a light lunch, retro-style. Meet friends for one of The Roof Lounge’s signature martinis.
Address: 4 Avenue Rd, Toronto, Ontario M5R2E8 Canada.
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