BT Toronto Blogs

Are you looking for a gift for that Gardener who has  everything??  Here’s Frankie Flowers list of unusal gifts for Gardeners!!

All from www.rittenhous.ca

Turntable for indoor plants

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1188

Self-Watering Probes

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1016

Giant Pick Up Sticks

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1742

Heated Hose

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2392

Heated Mat

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2244

Pot Caddie

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1184

Grass Stitcher

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2329

Hand Grubber

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2379

Digital Thermometer

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1640

Fiskars Micro Snip

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2048

Children’s Tools

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=655

Bird B Gone Sonic Bird Scarer

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=2375

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Aloha friends! After a week of rest (and Mai Tai’s) on the sunny beaches and ocean breeze-filled island of Maui…I’m back. It’s great to be home. Nothing like a good dose of vitamin D to recharge you….Aleks and I have always talked about visiting Hawaii so when I found out I had 13 days of vacation to use up before January…we bit the bullet over a french toast breakfast and booked it!  I will admit…if you don’t like flying…the trip can feel quite long but it’s well worth it….where else will you be surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation as well as sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters? And it’s safe…Aleks and I rented a car and drove along the coast and felt nothing but warmth from the wonderfully hospitable locals…we encountered amazingly huge turtles flapping by the shore…pellicans would sweep down to visit us and yes…whales! We witnessed it one day while sunning…a momma teaching her baby how to swim…but as luck would have it…our camera died as soon as I yelled “whales! I see whales!” The last shot Aleks took was of me seeking them out and shrieking in joy at the sight of them and then…nothing. The camera cacked out. Oh well….it was the coolest thing… watching the mom flap her baby with it’s tail and launch it back into the water to teach it how to become a strong swimmer before they headed back to the Arctic to feed…..something I will always remember….beyond wild to see such a beautiful creature do its thing in the wild…hope you enjoy the photos…check out the pics from the Luau. They cook the pigs underground in the sand for 13 hours…they wrap them in banana leaves…Aleks said it was absolutely delicious…I myself went for the yams…deliciously sweet with coconut shreds. Hope you enjoy this little taste of the tropics….and on a side note…congratulations to all of you who made it out to the Christmas tree sale…we can’t wait to see you on Friday for our annual Christmas show, let the festivities continue!

Dina

With Christmas only 9 days away many have already purchased and decorated their live Christmas tree.  I also have to thank all of those who came out Friday to support the Daily Bread Food Bank by purchasing a $10 Balsam Fir from the Home Depot.  (We rose over $13,000)

Now that our trees are up my advice: 

I’m hoping that you cut the base of your tree before bringing it in.  By doing so you remove the trees natural seal and allow it to start taking in water. The best way to keep a tree fresh is to keep water in the base.  Sure some say sugar, others have home solutions but what it comes down to is keep a tree hydrated.  Depending on the size of your tree it can take in gallons of water each day and should be checked regularly. 

Remember if you allow your tree to dry out…you need to re-cut again.  That means removing the decorations and doing it all over!  Seriously if Christmas tree is left to dry out your family may be in trouble.  Take a look at the above video.  The tree to the left is one left to dry.  Watch for 15 seconds that’s all it takes.  The tree to the right is one hydrated the speed of flame is slow and constant allowing you time to put it out or leave your home. 

Finally with a live Christmas never use an open flame (candles) close to your tree and also if placed by a heating vent block the vent. An open vent will dry the tree faster requiring more water. 

Finally, when purchasing a tree stand always look for one with a large water capacity.

Have a safe and Happy Holiday Season!!

Frankie

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Best rememdies for a hangover?? Kevin Brauch the Thirsty Traveler knows…check out the pictures below.

Also, thank you to Anthony from the Sweet Boutique for the Holiday Treats.

The Hangover releases on DVD tomorrow

Have a Great Day
Jenn

Kevin’s Top 5 Tips for Preventing a Hangover:

Avoid mixing drinks.  “Just because Santa Claus visits the entire world in one night doesn’t mean you should do the same with your liquor cabinet,” jokes Kevin. 

Stick with clear spirits.  “Brown spirits have more congeners (impurities) in them which do a great job of hurting your head,” he notes.

Tit for tat.  Kevin recommends, “One glass of water for every glass of spirits you consume.”

Drink the best, get some rest. Premium spirits are, in theory, made better than their cheaper counterparts.  Kevin suggests, “The clearer, purer distillation costs a bit more but will cost you a lot less in the morning.”

Save your sweet tooth for cookies and cake.  “Stay away from sweet, creamy, froufrou cocktails,” Kevin says. “These drinks are almost guaranteed to hurt you in the morning.”

As the Gemini Award-winning host of The Thirsty Traveler, and floor host of Iron Chef America, Kevin Brauch is unquestionably the world’s King of Cocktails.  He says: “If all else fails and you fall victim to the spirits of the season, here are some unconventional hangover cures.”

Kevin’s Tips for Morning Success:

Watch a good movie.  “The Hangover is my pick for this holiday.  Laughter is certainly the best medicine for anything that ails you,” Kevin says.

Rub lemon under your drinking armpit? “Believe it or not, this is Puerto Rico’s hangover remedy of choice,” he says with a grin.

Milk Thistle is an herbal remedy that dates back more than 2000 years, and Kevin says it promotes good liver function.

Water is still the single most important item, according to Kevin.  “Many hangovers are due to dehydration.”

iPod.  “And yes, if all else fails, there is even an iPod app for that,” Kevin jokes.

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Lucky being me!!

Working in the world of TV, Radio and Print does have perks.  Working at 5am means a wakeup time of 3am and a lack of lineups at the drive thru as a matter of fact the girls in Innisfil have my order ready for me every morning. 

Last week the ultimate in perks, Ford Canada asked me to test drive their new 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.  A Taurus??  Isn’t that a boring sedan…great perk I thought but boy was I wrong.  What a car!! (Pictures are taking from my blackberry not fancy but they give you a good idea what the car looks like).

This is truly a sports car with the luxury of all wheel drive and a whole lot of space.  Speed 0 to 100km in 6 seconds …too fast but really fun when highway driving and needing to quickly merge into traffic. I didn’t speed of course.  In keeping with the Sport of the car you have the option of manual drive with the fun of paddle shifting on the steering wheel…formula one here I come!!

Luxury:  Very nice interior with both heated and air conditioned seats.  Recently I drove Mercedes C350 4matic from Toronto to Cleveland the Taurus was just if not more luxurious and way more comfortable (I put 1000km on the demo…oops sorry but that’s my weekly commute from Barrie to Toronto). 

Safety:  All wheel drive, rear back up camera, side mirror indicators telling you when a vehicle is in your blind spot and the list goes on.  There is a good reason why Ford Taurus was voted one of the safest cars on the road for 2010.

Fuel Economy:  All I can do is compare the economy of the SHO to my 2007 Pontiac Torrent AWD similar gas consumption with approximately the savings of $10 per week.

The only downfall.  The SHO is a big car.  I did have some difficulty parking in the core of Toronto.  The rear view camera was a great help but the time and ease of parking was a little more work.

My feelings:  The look and feel of the 2010 SHO is amazing.  My wife loved it, friends said “that’s a Taurus?” and I felt good driving it….would I buy one ….yes but I need 0% financing!!

My next perk ….unloading Christmas Trees tomorrow at Dundas Square in preparation for our Annual Christmas Tree sale.  Check it out Friday Dec. 11 @ 6am for a minimum $10 donation you get a premium balsam fir (value $30) and all cash goes to Daily Bread Food Bank!!

Frankie