Posts made in December 2018

The challenges of building your own swimming pool

There are a few reasons why swimming pools have become so incredibly popular among homeowners. The first is, very obviously, the enjoyment factor. There’s nothing quite like having your own pool in the warmest months. The other is that having your own pool is great for relaxation and exercise, and a fantastic way of taking greater control over your fitness and health. However, there are some challenges involved with building your own swimming pool, and you should never start building your pool without assessing these factors first. Plan the right way and your pool could be the addition to your property that you always dreamed of.

Talk to experts
Property experts should always be your first port of call. Talk to local realtors about property prices in your area. They will know how much value a pool will add to your property. It could be that there is a little call for it in your area, but the majority of homes will be able to ask a slightly higher price with the addition of a pool.

  • For most people, a pool addition won’t add a significant amount to the overall property value, although it may well increase your property taxes.
  • You should be aiming at spending no more than 15% of your property’s total value, or you run the risk of overspending.

Setting up in advance
You will need to prepare if you decide to go ahead with your pool. Unless you have an army of helpers with shovels, it’s a good idea to make use of a mechanical digger. Pools can take a long time to dig by hand, and you’ll reduce your overall time with some industrial help. The other factor you’ll need to consider is what to do with the excess soil. You’re going to need to rid yourself of that soil, and this could be a big job. It’s often worth contacting a local dumpster company, with Dumpster Maxx offering a variety of Roll Off Dumpster Denver options to choose from. Make sure that you have the right equipment in place to prevent wasted time on your pool.

Design considerations
There are a number of different pool types available, so don’t just dive into a decision. Look at infinity pools and lap pools for the current trends, but you can even design your own style. Look at the space that you have available and think about local materials that are available for lower costs. Those materials can contribute a lot to your overall pool pricing, so if you can reduce the amount you pay due to local availability, all the better. The average pool can cost anywhere from $10k to $60k, so it’s important that you know your budget and work to the limitations that you set yourself.

Planning permission
In the majority of cases, a swimming pool is classified as a permitted development. You will need to remain within the boundaries of your property and behind the building line of your front-facing property. If you’re going for the addition of a designated building to cover your pool, you will usually have to stick to one-story only, although some states differ in their guidelines. Check with experts in local housing laws to make sure that you aren’t stopped halfway through your project.
Worst case scenario, you can always go with an popular pool alternative.

Hasselblad Masters Book

Hasselblad is a well respected photography company with Swedish roots dating back to the 1800s when photography was founded. Today, they are leaders in camera design and still handcraft their cameras in Sweden.

Every two years, the commemorative Masters book features ten world renowned photographers narrowed down from a pool of 1,700+ worthy contestants. The Masters book includes creative pictorials of each of the 10 winning photographers as they interpret the theme of 2018, innovate, working with only the best Hasselblad cameras at hand. The book includes sections that explore architecture, portraits, fashion, and more. Included below are some examples of the exclusive images from the book for you to view.

To check out more of the Hasselblad Masters Book, click here!

NBA Expands Second Annual Jr. NBA Global Championship

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced details of the second annual Jr. NBA Global Championship, a youth basketball tournament for the top 13- and 14-year-old boys and girls teams from around the world that will be held Aug. 6-11 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla.  Thirty-two teams will participate in a week of on-court competition and off-court programming centered on the Jr. NBA’s core values of teamwork, respect, determination and community.

The NBA will introduce a new layer of local competitions, including more than 20 local tournaments – 14 of which will be hosted by NBA teams in their respective markets – to expand the pool of participating boys and girls teams in the U.S. The Dallas Mavericks will host a local qualifying tournament and teams that win at The Sportsplex Dallas, March 22-24th, 2019, will receive an automatic bid to Jr. NBA Global Championship South Regional Tournament in Dallas, June 7-9th, 2019. 

Long-time league partner and leading basketball stakeholder USA Basketball will enhance all domestic competitions and help increase accessibility by accrediting local tournaments, again licensing participating coaches, supporting all eight U.S. regional tournaments and promoting best practices through the implementation of the NBA and USA Basketball Youth Guidelines.

Qualifying competitions will tip off in January 2019 and run through June 2019.  In the U.S., the winning boys and girls teams from each of the new local tournaments will advance to one of eight regional tournaments in the spring.

The international competition, which will once again leverage the Jr. NBA’s extensive global reach, will expand to additional countries and territories. Top players from the Caribbean will now have the opportunity to compete alongside players from South America for a chance to represent Latin America in the Jr. NBA Global Championship. The Asia Pacific regional competition will expand to include youth from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The winning boys and girls teams from each of the eight U.S. regional tournaments (Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and West) and the boys and girls teams representing the eight international regions (Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe & Middle East, India, Latin America, and Mexico) will receive all-expenses-paid trips to compete in the culminating event in Orlando.  U.S. teams will have the opportunity to register online for a chance to compete in their respective regional tournament.

The Jr. NBA Global Championship will feature boys and girls divisions, separated into U.S. and international brackets that begin with round-robin play and continue with single-elimination competition.  The winners of the U.S. and international brackets will play in the global championship games on Aug. 11.

FOX and FS1 will televise the Jr. NBA Global Championship in the U.S. as part of the multiyear partnership launched last year, while Tencent, the Exclusive Official Digital Partner of the NBA in China, and China Mobile Migu, the Official Telecom Carrier Immersion Platform of the NBA in China, will livestream the Jr. NBA Global Championship in China.  Additional international media partners will be announced at a later date.

More than 300 boys and girls from 35 countries participated in the inaugural Jr. NBA Global Championship in August 2018.  During the weeklong event, all 32 teams participated in off-court activities including life skills sessions, Disney park visits, a community service project, and educational meetings with current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches.  The Central girls (Kansas City, Mo.) defeated the Europe girls team 68-38, while the Central boys (Overland Park, Kan.) defeated the Africa & Middle East boys team 60-50 in the global championship games.

More information about the Jr. NBA Global Championship and dates for the U.S. regional tournaments can be found atJrNBA.com/GlobalChampionship.  Registration for teams to compete in the Jr. NBA Global Championship is not yet open but those that sign up online will be notified as soon as registration information is available.

QUOTES:

NBA President, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens:

“We are looking forward to building on the success of the inaugural Jr. NBA Global Championship to host another best-in-class event.  The expanded programming and new strategic partnerships will allow more youth players from around the world to participate in this year’s event and have the opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage.”

USA Basketball Chairman and Jr. NBA Leadership Council Chairman Retired General Martin E. Dempsey

“The Jr. NBA Global Championship is taking another positive step forward by bringing together several of basketball’s leading stakeholders to advance and grow the game at the youth level.  The expanded Jr. NBA Global Championship, along with the USA Basketball U.S. Open Basketball Championships, will continue to promote age-appropriate rules, playing standards and safe play to help young players develop on and off the court.”

Three-time NBA Champion and Jr. NBA Global Championship Ambassador Dwyane Wade:

“I attended last year’s Jr. NBA Global Championship and it was incredible to witness the talent and passion displayed by boys and girls from around the world.  This event offers a unique opportunity for young players to learn about different cultures while bonding through their love of the game.”

WNBA Champion and Jr. NBA Global Championship Ambassador Candace Parker:

“I’m thrilled to return as an ambassador for the Jr. NBA Global Championship, which is an amazing showcase and development opportunity for talented young players.  I’m proud to support a program that will help advance the growth of girls basketball at all levels.”  

Kindred Spirits

Powerhouse paranormal investigators, Amy Bruni and Adam Berry, know that those who have passed might return, and that is when the true danger begins. In “Kindred Spirits,” premiering its third season on Travel Channel on Thursday, January 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT,Bruni and Berry enter America’s darkest locations demanding answers to the most chilling, haunted mysteries. Discovering and confronting paranormal activity is just the first step. In each one-hour episode, their ultimate goal is to determine who or what haunts the space and whether it’s safe for the living to remain. Their multi-layered investigations dig into the past in order to identify the dead and analyze the threat. With an arsenal of paranormal tools and their hands-on investigation style, the duo brings peace to those tormented by restless spirits by giving a voice to the dead.

 

Throughout the 10-episode run, Bruni and Berry’s mission to uncover the truth behind America’s most intense paranormal activity takes them to evil and historic locations, including properties that were used as orphanages and asylums, as well as personal homes inhabited by aggressive entities. Special guests also assist the paranormal duo including psychic medium Chip Coffey and paranormal researcher John Tenney.
“With its broader locations and terrifying tales, the new season of ‘Kindred Spirits’ is right at home on Travel Channel,” said Jane Latman, general manager of Travel Channel. “Amy and Adam have built a strong trust with their fans who can’t get enough of their unique perspective of helping the haunted by reconstructing the faded stories of the dead — their investigations bring peace to the living and give a voice to the afterlife.”

 

Check out “Kindred Spirits” on TravelChannel.com for show extras including behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more. Follow @TravelChannel and #KindredSpirits on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for more exclusive content and updates. Follow Amy Bruni on FacebookInstagram and Twitter. Follow Adam Berry on FacebookInstagram and Twitter.

 

Kindred Spirits” is produced for Travel Channel by Paper Route. For Paper Route, the executive producers are Amy Bruni, Adam Berry and Alan LaGarde. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is Christine Shuler, Jane Latman is general manager and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.

 

ABOUT AMY BRUNI and ADAM BERRY

Amy Bruni, co-star and executive producer of Travel Channel’s hit paranormal series “Kindred Spirits,” calls upon over 20 years of investigative experience to help people reclaim their homes and lives from the mysteries of the unknown. After spending a decade in the health insurance industry, Bruni decided to follow her dreams and turn paranormal investigation into her livelihood. She began traveling the country to visit its most haunted places, researching the group dynamics of ghost-hunting teams and lecturing on the history of paranormal investigation. Beginning in 2008, Bruni was a staple on Syfy’s “Ghost Hunters” and served as the team’s historical researcher for seven seasons, during which time she met her ghost-hunting partner, Adam Berry. In 2014, she left the show to stay home with her family and start her own business, a boutique paranormal travel company calledStrange Escapes. The birth of her daughter and the importance of family have brought new value to Bruni’s investigations, putting more focus on helping families try to reach the spirits of their loved ones.

Adam Berry is the co-star and executive producer of the hit television series “Kindred Spirits,” now on Travel Channel. Berry’s love and passion for the paranormal ignited from an extremely haunting experience he had in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Berry founded his own investigation team operating out of Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 2007, to document cases and bring answers to those experiencing strange activity in their homes. In 2010, he won Syfy’s reality competition show, “Ghost Hunters Academy,” earning a coveted spot on the network’s hit original series, “Ghost Hunters,” where he met and first teamed up with his investigation partner, Amy Bruni. When Berry isn’t looking for ghosts, he is the executive director of Peregrine Theatre Ensemble, a non-profit theater company based in Provincetown.

ABOUT TRAVEL CHANNEL
For the bold, daring, and spontaneous; those adventurers who embrace the thrill of the unexpected; those risk-takers who aren’t afraid of a little mystery; if you’re up for anything, down for whatever, and above all, love great stories, journey on to Travel Channel. We’re more than you expect and everything you didn’t know you were looking for. Reaching more than 82 million U.S. cable homes, Travel Channel is the world’s leading travel media brand. Fans also can visit Travel Channel for more information or interact with other fans through FacebookTwitterPinterest and Instagram. Travel Channel is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories, whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

South African Tourism

2019 will be a landmark year as South Africa celebrates 25 years of freedom and democracy. South African Tourism is encouraging travelers to make 2019 the year they discover everything that the country has to offer, from its wildlife, natural beauty, and dramatic coastlines to its world-class restaurants, art galleries, and compelling explorations of culture. It is a unique moment to reflect and acknowledge the country’s socio-economic progress since the end of apartheid and its journey to becoming one of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations.

The new year will offer a diverse array of authentic experiences from art, culture and adventure to exciting hotel developments and new itineraries. With the continued strength of the dollar to the rand, it’s the opportune time to travel to the destination!

Reviving Cape Town

Thanks to innovative solutions put in place earlier this year to combat the drought in Cape Town, the Mother City is open for business and looks towards a bright 2019 with water levels stabilizing and significant efforts continuing to play a key role in the conversation on conserving our precious water. The city’s diverse range of breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural experiences, world class food and wine, art, marine life, nature and much more, are all ready to return to the spotlight in 2019.

New Activity Offerings

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Robben Island Museum, is starting to offer tours to visitors upon request. A new exhibit at the Mayibuye History Centre at the University of the Western Cape are unique multimedia collections depicting images of the resistance and freedom struggles caused by Apartheid. The two historical exhibits offer visitors the ability to experience, learn, and pay respects to South Africa’s history and better understand the forward momentum the country has made.

Boosting Family Travel

South Africa is becoming more accessible for traveling families through updated regulations. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced on December 1st, 2018 that they are relaxing some of the regulations for children traveling to South Africa. The announcement comes at a pivotal point for family travel as the Festive Season, a time when many families travel with their children, is fast approaching.

  • As visas are not required for US & CAN travelers visiting for less than 90 days, generally, children (under 18) travelling with both parents will experience no additional questioning and will not be requested to provide any additional documents, over and above a valid passport.

  • However, if it may appear that you are not the parents of the child for any reason, documentation may be requested. It is suggested that you consider carrying a birth certificate which features the details of the parent or parents, or other documentation that might assist to prove the parental relationship such as a marriage certificate, adoption certificate etc.

  • For more details from the Department of Tourism click here.

News from the Bush

Located on the Kapama Private Game Reserve, the Relais & Chateaux safari lodge, Camp Jabulani, is opening “Little Jabu” in October 2019 that will house 12 suites. 7 are “Jabulani Suites” ideal for couples and 5 are “Little Jabu Family Suites” for families with up to two children. The award winning lodge is known for guided bush walks and Big 5 game drives as well as the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, a leading private research and breeding facility for endangered species in the country.

In the Eastern Cape, the renowned Shamwari Private Game Reserve has finalized the first phase of its extensive $25 million refurbishment of the Eagles Crag Lodge and the Riverdene Family Lodge. The second phase, due to complete November 2019, will see a new, flagship luxury tented camp, and the renovation of the historic Long Lee Manor, featuring 18 private luxury suites. The reserve offers visitors the opportunity to get behind the scenes of the conservancy’s volunteering efforts and environmental regeneration projects.

The Royal Portfolio announced that the The Farmstead will open May 1, 2019. This property will be an exclusive lodge at Royal Malewane, just a mere 12 minute drive south of it, and stand as The Royal Portfolio’s first property in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park. Accommodations will be provided in a main lodge as well as luxury villas and suites with rates inclusive of accommodation, meals, drinks, game drives and bush walks. It provides a completely different design style than the existing safari lodges in South Africa with light oak, tin roofs, wrought iron and gentle hues of blue and white defining the style.

Welcoming New Urban Retreats

Newmark Hotels, Residences, Reserves & Lodges, known for the noteworthy opening of Hallmark House in Johannesburg’s trendy Maboneng Precinct, is opening Stock Exchange – an eclectic city hotel in Cape Town’s most up-and-coming region, Woodstock. Set to open March 2019, it will boast just 33 apartment-style rooms with kitchens and will include a restaurant, swimming pool, gym and shops. The interior of the rooms celebrate local talent and the connection with the neighborhood. As a result, furniture and decorations items in the rooms will be pinpointed on a “design map” of Woodstock, allowing guests to purchase similar items and support the region’s artists.

Placed on the only tree-lined and fully pedestrianized avenue in Cape Town is Gorgeous George, a new hotel set to open early 2019. The new structure is the first hotel in the area to be a member of Design Hotels. Located between St. George’s Mall and Green Market Square, the goal of the hotel is to be a new cultural hub that reflects South Africa’s design scene.

Exploring Western Belize in 2019

Belize has been featured as the only Central American country on National Geographic’s Best Trips 2019 List. Quickly growing in popularity as one of the best tropical vacation destinations in the world, Belize is a blend of cultures and natural attractions and is a place that fully embraces its Central American and Caribbean roots, celebrates its diversity and takes great pride in its spectacular natural beauty. The San Ignacio Resort Hotel in Western Belize provides a perfect springboard for a vacation filled with adrenaline adventures, fine dining and opportunities to experience the infamous Maya Temples.

Adrenaline Adventures

Black Hole Drop: Begin with a 2 hour hike up the Maya Mountains over the rainforest canopy at Actun Loch Tunich, “The Monster of All Caves.” Become mesmerized by incredible aerial views of jungle rainforests, then step off the ledge of the cliff for a 300-foot high rappelling adventure ride where you will have amazing visuals of the Black Hole and luscious greens. This experience is not for the faint of heart.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave: This site has been featured on National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and History Channel because of its mesmerizing giant shimmering flowstone formations, stalactites, and stalagmites widely present throughout this 3-mile long cave. ATM features burial chambers, Maya artifacts, intact calcified human remains, and slate stelaes that were used for burials. The cave itself is several miles long with multiple chambers. Once inside the cave you will spend several hours swimming, climbing, and exploring.

Fine Dining

Running W Steakhouse & Restaurant: Located at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel, Running W Steakhouse & Restaurant has a new Executive Chef, Enrique Awe whose culinary journey has brought him back to his hometown of San Ignacio after working for 16 years in the USA. The Restaurant showcases an international menu with the best of Belizean cuisine and features grass fed meats from the family’s own ranch where the restaurant got its name.

Trey’s Barn & Grill: Trey Roberson grills up the freshest cuisine in Western Belize and creates cocktails that pair well with his unique dishes. You can also find him at San Ignacio Resort Hotel for special cookouts on property with live music and libations.

Maya Temples

Caracol: Located on the western edge of the Maya Mountains within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Caracol lies on a high plateau that drops into a deep valley to the northwest and rises into hilly terrain to the southwest. The site was discovered in 1938 by Rosa Mai, a logger looking for mahogany. Although one of the most challenging Belize ruins to reach, the trip to Caracol is also one of the most scenic drives. It is the largest known Maya center within the country and holds “Canaa” (Sky Place), the largest pyramid or man-made structure in Belize at 140 feet tall.

Cahal Pech: Located on a hill that overlooks the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, excavations show that Cahal Pech was inhabited from 1000 B.C. to around 800 A.D. The central part of the ruins provides a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding area. Thirty-four structures, including temple pyramids, two ball courts, and an altar fill the 2 acre area.

Five of America’s largest airlines have nonstop flights to Belize from major cities across the country, making it easily accessible for US travelers.

Land Rover Provides Behind the Scenes Look into Galactic Flight

Land Rover have revealed a special ‘behind the scenes’ peek into
Virgin Galactic’s operation, following its historic flight into space last week.
The space line travelled 51.4 miles above Earth, a feat it wouldn’t have achieved
without undergoing thorough testing and preparation over the last few months. Land
Rover have been a relied-upon figure in the operational process for Virgin Galactic,
with Land Rover’s fleet of vehicles becoming a part of daily life for the space team.
The partnership between Land Rover and Virgin Galactic was for formed back in 2014,
with both sharing visions of pioneering spirit, technological innovation and sense of
adventure. The togetherness illustrates the commitment that both brands share to
iconic design and engineering excellence, and a desire to push the boundaries of travel
for the next generation.

Check out the link below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zsTXsXCJRM

2019 GMC Sierra Denali

From a distinct grill and smooth ride, the all new 2019GMC Sierra Denali is elegantly appointed and design to make you live like a pro. Simply put, this is more than a work truck. Luxury goes to work to ease your burdens. The multi-pro liftgate makes lifting any load a breeze. It is your time to step up to state-of-the-art design. My recent drive of this amazing vehicle through the beautiful terrain of Newfoundland Canadareaffirmed the strong market presence of this truck in the market place. This automotive genius is  not just a truck it is a lifestyle. Get to know the GMC Sierra Denali it is worth a test drive!

Perri Projects Appoints Ovolo for AUD$50M South Melbourne Designer Hotel

 Australian developer, Perri Projects, has appointed international award-winning designer hotel owner/operator, Ovolo, as hotel manager for its AUD$50 million (approx. US$35.9 million) South Melbourne project, expected to open in 2020. This will be the first-ever hotel management agreement for Ovolo, which currently wholly owns and operates 10 hotels across Australia and Hong Kong.

Located at 183-199 Moray Street, the 100-room, six-story designer hotel will bring Ovolo’s signature ‘effortless living’ ethos to one of Melbourne’s most iconic inner-city suburbs. Ovolo’s appointment represents a significant milestone for the project, which has received planning approval, with construction anticipated to begin in the third quarter of 2019.

David Scalzo, Managing Director of Perri Projects, said that Ovolo’s innovative, design-led lifestyle hotels were a perfect match for Perri Projects’ vision for the site. “We are delighted to partner with Ovolo to realize our original vision for this site as a mixed-use lifestyle precinct featuring destination bars and restaurants, as well as leisure, event and function facilities,” Scalzo said. “Ovolo Hotels are internationally renowned for their high-end, high-energy designs that blend form and function to ensure each hotel delivers a unique experience for guests and visitors. Ovolo is well established and revered, yet agile and bold enough to challenge convention and break the mold on new sites, ensuring that each design complements and enhances the location of their hotels.”

Girish Jhunjhnuwala, Ovolo CEO and Founder, said Ovolo in South Melbourne represented a new phase of growth for the company, made possible through a shared vision with Perri Projects. “The Hotel Management Agreement with Perri Projects represents a natural evolution for our business as we continually look to expand our offering in new markets,” he said. “While we each bring our respective expertise in property development and hospitality management to this project, this partnership was forged through our mutual affinity for delivering truly unique projects and a shared vision for the South Melbourne site.”

Dave Baswal, COO & CFO of Ovolo Australia, said he was confident Ovolo’s offering in South Melbourne would be well received by the growing pool of established higher-end established housing and major commercial office buildings. “The underlying demographic of South Melbourne has been evolving steadily as creative industries in particular look to take advantage of the central location and raw industrial edge the suburb has to offer,” Baswal continued. “But while the suburb is on the rise with those in the know, local hospitality amenity has not kept pace with this change, and we believe Ovolo South Melbourne – with its bars, restaurants and even a rooftop function and events space – will be uniquely placed to provide a focal point for those local communities.”