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SHAREABLE Tip #2 – MEN – SHAVE IN THE SHOWER!

Multi-tasking for men! Men, you know this is true, so why aren’t you doing it?



MEN – SHAVE WHILE SHOWERING – FOR A BETTER SHAVE!
Not only is this time saving, but it will make shaving easier! The humidity of your shower will keep your skin moist and your pores open thereby making your hair softer and easier to remove.

What to do:
  1. Get yourself a fog-free or shower mirror. (Otherwise, rub in some of that same shaving cream onto your mirror till it’s clear and that should keep it fog-free for weeks!)
  2. Wash face, then lather face with shaving cream or gel, or just use bath soap.
  3. Lather body with soap – take your time, this gives the shave cream time time to soften your beard. Shave cheeks first, neck next, and finally the upper lip and chin. This order is important as it leaves the toughest whiskers till last, giving them more time to soften.
  4. Then rinse, dry your face off and apply the usual after shave or moisturizer.



SHAREABLE TIPS are pinnable images I create of random tips I come across daily. 
So go ahead. Share it!

Making life easier, one shareable tip at a time.

SHAREABLE Tip #1 - HONEY FOR YOUR TUMMY!

It's all about the honey, honey. ;)

Don't like yogurt but want the same benefits for your digestive system? SWITCH TO HONEY!




DON'T LIKE YOGURT BUT WANT THE SAME BENEFITS FOR YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM?
SWITCH TO HONEY!
A tablespoon of honey daily is needed to reduce gas-producing toxins and help keep healthy bacteria in the colon and in the intestines in check!

- Amelia Farquhar, Woman's World Magazine | June 06, 20ll Edition



SHAREABLE TIPS are pinnable images I create of random tips I come across daily. 
So go ahead. Share it!

Making life easier, one shareable tip at a time.

Niagara’s First Snow Fall in Autumn with a Few Hungry Squirrels Enjoying Some French Fries



Yes, it’s still Autumn. Winter actually begins around December 21-22, so Autumn isn’t officially over yet. The leaves haven’t ALL fallen, but the first snow fall for the Niagara region has arrived and I have managed to capture some hungry squirrels snacking on some french fries.

The Vampire Bride: Lisa’s Scary Halloween Costume

Lisa is very artistic, especially when it comes to applying make-up and dressing up for the right occasion. I always love her work and this year, around Halloween time, she impressed us all again with her latest themed costume – The Vampire Bride.


For me, the scarier the better so when I found out she was going to be a Vampire Bride at a local Long Term Care home, I just had to be there to capture a few shots. Some people were actually afraid to look at her. It’s those eyes I tell ya!

NIGHTMARES FEAR FACTORY - Niagara Falls (The REAL but Comical FACES OF FRIGHT)





It's that time again folks! So let the nightmares begin!

Traveller Photo by coastermeister courtesy of tripadvisor
The Nightmares Fear Factory is a haunted house attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario, (across from Casino Niagara) and is the oldest haunted house in North America in continuous operation.

I’m still gathering up the courage to enter this ‘two-time Niagara Falls Attraction of the Year‘ haunted house which is said to be THE scariest haunted house attraction in Niagara Falls.

It’s roughly a 15 minute walk-through attraction that preys on each visitor’s fears and phobias. 15 minutes! That’s a long time folks to be in a constant nail-biting state of paranoia!

Nightmares Fear Factory
5631 Victoria Ave
Niagara Falls, ON
Go here to get directions.

As the story goes…
The haunted house is built on the site of the once industrious Cataract Coffin Factory where eccentric proprietor Abraham Mortimer dedicated every waking hour to surveying the progress of his domain.

At night, the old man was tormented and taunted by young hooligans. Abraham would chase the riff-raff from their pranks and dares. They always laughed at his threats… until one fateful night Abraham confronted a rowdy group of thrill-seekers. In the ensuing struggle, a stack of solid oak coffins overturned, and Abraham was crushed to death!

The guilty ran off and were never apprehended for their part in the gruesome murder.



Soon after the funeral, Abraham Mortimer’s coffin was found unearthed and empty!

To this day it is said, he walks the halls for revenge on those who dare trespass on his beloved, and now abandoned factory.


An ALL DAY Visit to Clifton Hill – NIAGARA FALLS (40+ Photos)



Next up on my continuing exploration of the Niagara Region is Clifton Hill – “The Fun At the Falls” street.  It’s the most exciting stretch of street and one of the most famous in the Niagara Region, (and possibly the world), which I rarely get a chance to visit but when I do, I always get all giddy and excited like a child heading to an amusement park for the first time. It’s always so busy and bustling with tourists and attractions ANY time of the year and once there, I always feel like I’ve just entered another dimension.

SPOTTED: A ‘WALMART’ Vehicle?...

You have your Walmart People.. We have our Walmart Vehicles…

Check out this cool truck we spotted while shopping at Walmart the other day.  On our way out, lo and behold, what did we see… this awesome truck we call – “The Vehicle from Hell”.  Well almost.



The Skylon Tower – NIAGARA FALLS



Our visit to The Skylon Tower, in Niagara Falls, was long overdue! We’ve passed it many, many times for many, many years and each time we did, we would always say, “One day we’ll have to go up there”. Finally we did… and it was great!

The Tower at night
We had dinner up there, at the Summit Suite Buffet and the view, as was expected, was spectacular. I’m usually deathly afraid of heights but the ride up the tower I found, was too short and I remember wishing it would have lasted longer. I think it took under a minute to get to the top!

As we were heading to the top, I remember asking the guy who was operating the elevator: “You’re probably tired of doing this everyday?”, to which he replied, “oh, you get used to it”. He later mentioned he did this roughly over 50 times or more a day!

We also asked if he’s ever gotten stuck in these elevators but he quickly told us “.. things happen, but it gets fix quick though.” It’s just like any other elevator – it has it’s good days and bad.

The Skylon Tower is an observation tower that overlooks both the American Falls, New York, and the larger Horseshoe Falls, Ontario, from the Canadian side of the Niagara River.

It was interesting to note, those yellow elevators were the first of its kind during the construction of the tower.

The St. Catharines KIWANIS AQUATICS CENTRE & LIBRARY (+ 30 Photos)

It’s been over 2 years since the opening of St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, and its 7,000 square foot branch of the St.Catharines Public Library, the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch...


A Few Years Earlier...





 



Niagara Parks FLORAL CLOCK – NIAGARA FALLS (+ Photo Gallery)

It is said to be the most photographed attraction - next to the famous Falls…

It wasn’t the greatest of days in terms of weather when we arrived at the Floral Clock. It was an overcast day, but we were nevertheless excited to be there. Upon arrival, they were maintaining the grounds. The gardeners were busy looking after the rows of tulips that greeted you on your way to the clock and the lawns were being mowed. A bus had just departed, loaded with tourists and another would eventually arrive 30 mins later- something that has been probably going on for over 60+ years.

We were thrilled to finally get a view of this much talked about attraction and were even more excited when we discovered what was behind the clock itself.

The Floral Clock, a free attraction, was built in 1950 and is one of the largest floral clock in the world at 12.2 metres (40 feet) in diameter.

The hands of the clock are stainless steel tubing: the hour hand is 14.5 ft, the minute hand 17.5 ft and the second hand 21 ft long. Their combined weight is 1,250 pounds. An ivy-clad, louvered stone tower stands 24 feet tall and contains speakers that every quarter hour broadcast Westminster chimes. Under the clock, accessed by a door at the rear of the tower, the concrete foundation includes three small rooms – one for the clock mechanism and its driving motor, one contains switches to supply the electrical power, and one stores the tools required for maintaining the floral face. The clock mechanism runs in a bath of oil. The mechanical workings are driven by a 5 HP DC motor supplied from a DC drive. A tachometer is mounted on the motor shaft and provides feedback to the drive to control its accuracy. 
The Westminster chimes are controlled by a programmable logic controller. The sounds are simulated and are broadcast through 2-25 watt co-axial speakers mounted in the bell tower.




WIRT: GREASE is the Word - Your Toilet is NOT a Trash Can...

What I Read Today in a local newspaper, was not a news article or story but rather a PSA ad about dumping grease in toilets. I’m sure many of you are guilty of this - I am. With me it’s not in the toilet, but rather down the drain.

I actually feel quite guilty as I write this post and honestly didn’t think  I was doing any harm.

I like to make my own french fries which involves peeling a lot of potatoes and a great deal of deep frying. After awhile, when the oil is no longer needed, I would dump it, while it was still hot, down the drain. I figured it was still warm.  But now that I think about it, it wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

I no longer dump grease down the drain and now I’m asking you to do the same.

Did You Know…

DID YOU KNOW?... There Are Canadian Two-dollar Bills Worth 20 Grand?


** Update**

Rare $2 bill may NOT be worth $20,000

Well, this is awkward.

Last night we told you about a rare $2 bill that was expected to sell for $20,000 at an auction. But we now offer a mea culpa. We were mistaken.

The first problem? The story was from 2012 – a speculative piece about a bill potentially worth $20,000 because the wrong officials signed it. The second issue? A noteworthy serial number. The 1986 bills with the serial numbers prefixes AUG, AUH and AUJ should have contained the signatures of Bank of Canada governor Gerald Bouey and deputy governor John Crow, but a few of them are signed by deputy governor Gordon Thiessen instead. We only told you about AUH.

Finally, we speculated the bill could be worth $20,000. As it happens, the bill did actually sell at auction – but for only $10,000.

HAPPY ROLPH’S BIRD SANCTUARY, (Early Spring) – ST. CATHARINES

Although it was a bit too early to view and pet the animals, our visit to Happy Rolph’s Bird Sanctuary & Petting Farm was still a delightful one. Seeing  the park this early in spring was just as enjoyable and only made you more eager to return when the summer season approached.

There were no animals to be found other than those noisy yet beautiful waterfowls swimming around in that famous pond – one of the many wonderful things this park is known for. The ducks and geese were hollering at the top of their birdie lungs when visitors would toss them some bread.

There were also kois discovered in the pond. They weren’t moving, (probably still in a state of hibernation since the visible ice floating on parts of the pond meant the water was still very cold), but they were there – alive and well!  There were many ancient trees throughout the park one of which we took a photo of that was over 160 years old!

Shortly after visiting the pond, something really blue down yonder caught our eyes. It was Lake Ontario! Probably the bluest you’ll ever see it, this time of the year.

Some facts…
  • Happy Rolph’s Bird Sanctuary is a 15.06-acre municipal park on the shores of Lake Ontario which boasts one of Canadas most exotic collections of flowering rhododendrons.
  • Harold “Happy” Rolph was a fruit farmer who founded a bird sanctuary on his property — now the public nature park on Lake Ontario. He needed water to irrigate the orchards and around 1950 built several natural looking ponds in a valley on the property. Several pairs of mallard ducks were purchased to attract other birds to the area. He and wife Jean built feeding stations for the birds over the next two decades, spending $1,500 a year on bird feed.
  • In October 1974, the property was named the Happy Rolph Bird Sanctuary in Rolph’s honour. Later, a children’s petting zoo was added to the attraction.
  • The petting farm, when it is open in season, includes chickens, pigs, horses, rabbits, sheep, goats, llamas, as well as a donkey named ‘Hoti’ — ‘Don Quixote’.  The pond’s inlet, sheltered by evergreens and bordered by grassy banks and willow trees, offers food and shelter for the resident waterfowl and migratory birds.
  • There are pathways to the lake, bird feeders, and a barn.   It is an ideal location for families or school groups to spend a day picnicking and visiting the animals. 
  • There are washrooms, a snack bar and a pavilion with plenty of picnic tables.  Happy Rolph's is also available for annual festivals and weddings.





The “Living Memorials” and The 9/11 Memorial Walkway

Another interesting thing we discovered throughout the park were the many “living memorials” plaques tied to trees. They are from the Hulse & English Memorial Forest Fund which is a non-profit tree planting charity. It provides private individuals the opportunity to contribute towards the greening of St. Catharines in the memory of loved ones. A tree symbolizes strength, durability, shelter and beauty.

We weren’t able to visit the entire park on this day but we later learnt, there was a trail that ran throughout the park which led to a peaceful waterfront memorial dedicated to Canadian victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.



The 9/11 MEMORIAL WALKWAY recognizes 27 Canadians who passed away at the World Trade Centre in 2001. Those that died are memorialized by twenty seven varieties of deciduous trees that line the trail. The wheelchair accessible walkway has benches with beautiful vistas on the shores of Lake Ontario. Another visit soon is definitely in order!




Gallery 1:



Gallery 2:

Happy Rolphing!...

WIRT: “IT’S A LONG SHOT”

Today I read an article, “It’s a Long Shot”, in our local newspaper, The Standard, which was quite interesting and entertaining about lottery tickets for the younger demographic, which was worthy of some sharing.

Apparently, lottery ticket sales to the younger generation, (ages 18-34), aka the “millennials”, aren’t as good as they’d hope it to be. It’s so low in fact, that the provincial lottery corporations are hiring a consultant to come up with new games and strategies, the paper states.

I’m surprise they are even encouraging this! However, if they must do so, instead of hiring a consultant to come up with new gimmicks or tactics, why not just consult the targeted group itself by getting them to fill out a survey of some kind… or better yet – just ask them!

CAR WASHES: Self-serve vs Hand-wash vs Tunnel vs Touchless (+ Poll)



It’s that time of the year when going to the car wash is, well, inevitable. The dilemma of having to choose the right one for washing your car shouldn’t be one. Personally, my most favourite is the ‘touchless’ car wash. I’ve tried them all but I always find myself going back to this type of car wash to get the job done.

Basically, there are 4 main types of car washes:


  • Self-serve car wash. You know the ones.  We’ve all been to them at least ONCE in our lifetime – especially when broke. This type of car wash is a simple one which is basically coin-operated. The newer self-service car washes offer the ability to pay with credit cards. Either way, you come out wetter than you entered. You park your car inside a large covered bay that is equipped with a trigger gun, a wand (a high-pressure sprayer) and a scrub foam-brush, (usually one out of the 3 is not working right or at all). After inserting your money, you can choose options such as soap, tire cleaner, wax or clear water rinse, all dispensed from the sprayer, or scrub the vehicle with the foam-brush. After inserting your coin(s), you start washing like a bat-out-of-hell, before the time runs out. (Can you tell this is my least favourite type of car wash yet?) Half the time, after the car has dried, I’ve noticed spots I’ve missed all over.
  • Hand car wash. No, I don’t mean the ones where you wash your car in your driveway with your own hands – I mean the ones where you get others’ hands to do it for you. If you want to feel rich, or you ARE rich, this is the place for you. At these car washes, employees come out from nowhere to detail your car in every area. The one I went to a few years back had a few guys on the outside washing down the car, then a guy wiping down the interior of the car, another one vacuuming the inside, and one wiping the tire and rims… all in succession as if my car was going through a production line. The results were great but I couldn’t afford to do thison a regular basis.
  • Tunnel car wash. Does anyone still use these? I know they are few around in St. Catharines, I just haven’t been to any in the past few years. The last time I went to one, the experience was not good, so I’m obviously being biased here. These types of car washes uses a conveyor system. You know, the ones where you have to line your wheel up on some track, put the vehicle into neutral, release all brakes, and refrain from steering – otherwise you will not only look like a retard but you can cause an accident on the conveyor. Then these big brushes start slapping the hell out of your car. After going through this particular car wash that day, I noticed the top half of the car looked great! The bottom half – well, that’s a whole other ball of wax. I have passed on these types of car washes since then. Maybe they have improved. I wouldn’t know. (See the video of a tunnel car wash we went through on Bunting Rd., St. Catharines, at the end of post.)
  • Video snapshot. Tunnel carwash
  • Touchless car wash. Now we’re talking. Other than the fact that going through a touchless car wash means no brushes touching your car hence no paint damage, the other reason I love these types of car washes is that there is no having to line up the wheel, there’s no having to get out of the car, it’s not as expensive as the hand washes and the end result is a clean and shiny car ALL OVER! Especially if you get the ‘deluxe’ package. A touchless car wash uses a high water pressure system to clean vehicles and with the combination of this pressure plus water quality, water temperature, chemistry and timing the result is a clean looking vehicle from top to bottom that you don’t have to fuss with.


Then there’s your bikini car wash – but that’s a whole other post altogether.

The type of car wash you use depends on many factors such as what you can afford, what’s easiest for you to use, what results are you looking for, (maybe you just want to wash the salt off), or even what’s the closest to your home. In the end, it’s your choice – your money.

 Poll



Video



YAY! WE WON! WE CAN ALL GO BACK TO BED NOW - NOT! PLUS SOME OLYMPICS FACTS

Yay! We Won!

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics CANADA
Photo: Michael Francis McCarthy
Yes, it’s finally over, and after getting up in the ungodly hours of 7am on a Sunday morning, (uhm, not me, just the rest of Canada), to watch the game, the partying has just begun and the memories… well, they’ll be going on forever. And from a non-hockey sports fan point of view, this was another great moment in time when waking up to hear “We won the game 3-0”, made me all giddy and wanting to rewind, relive and research the moment over and over again.

All teams gave it their best, I even thought the Americans played great, (from the bits I’ve managed to watch here and there), but who the hell am I and what the hell do I know about hockey? In the end, somebody had to win and that happened to be CANADA – YAY!! Now hockey will be even more embedded into Canada’s identity as a nation.

When it’s all said and done, Canada won not because of pure luck or good timing but because of an amazing show of solid team work with, (as one site puts it), a ferocious commitment to defense and discipline.

Here are some firsts for Canada, then and now:

The 24-Hour Challenge – Canadian Style, Dodgeball Charity Event (PHOTO Gallery)

The 24-hour Challenge for Matt Risi.

I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. These guys pulled off the impossible for almost an hour in chilly temps – and all for a great cause!



Benjamin the Hedgehog (St. Catharines) | NIAGARA'S PETS

Benjamin is a fascinating little creature to watch. He’s about 10 months old and his food of choice is cat food!

I’ve never seen a hedgehog up close and at one point, I was more interested in just watching him instead of taking pictures of him. He never really stood still long enough for me to get some really good shots but somehow I managed to capture a few…

Owner, 17-year-old, Courtney has had him for almost a year and said he is very shy. Shy indeed. He was always tucking himself in whenever I got close with my camera. Eventually, I realized the best way to truly capture the habit of this little fella was by video taping him!

Thanks for sharing your hedgehog with us Courtney! Check out Benjamin in action in the second video!...


Molly the Ragdoll Cat (St. Catharines) | NIAGARA'S PETS

Molly is a beautiful and unique cat. She is six years old. Owner, Tracy, has had her since she was 9-10 weeks old...
Molly is a blue-pointed RAGDOLL** breed. These types of Ragdoll breeds have color darkening at the extremities such as their nose, ears, tail, and paws as can be seen with Molly. 
Developed by American breeder Ann Baker, these breeds are also best known for their docile and affectionate nature. “But not this one”, said Tracy with a quirky smile. “She will take your hand off if you’re not careful!” Well, maybe so, but on this day she was picture perfect for me! 
**The name Ragdoll is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.




Weird Charity Sweeping Across Niagara: The 24 Hour Challenge (The Canadian Way)…

There seems to be a new charity event of a weird kind going through the Niagara Region. The 24 Hour Challenge (The Canadian Way). And like any charity event, it’s for a great cause:

Matthew Risi has worsening chronic Lyme disease symptoms and needs your help. His mother started a fundraising even in the effort of raising money to fund treatment at the Sponaugle Wellness Institute in Florida.  They’ve raised almost $18,000.0o so far.  To help them out in their cause, visit the website here.

So how exactly does this 24 hour challenge work? According to their Youtube site:

The 24 hour challenge is just that – once nominated, you have 24 hours to upload a video of you doing something outlandish in your gitch(just underwear, no socks,no shoes, nothing), outside in the sub-zero cold. After your stunt, you must immediately thank whoever nominated you for the nomination, nominate 3 people and tell them they have 24 hours to complete the challenge. Lastly, you must chug a beer. Have Fun with it. We do not condone Dangerous Behaviour!

They have great ones on their Facebook page but check out some of these videos I was able to find on Youtube of these crazy canucks helping out a great cause!





NEW POLICE CAR DESIGN – Love it, Hate it…? (PHOTOS + Poll)

In keeping up with modern times, logo rebranding is just one of the ways the Niagara Regional Police will be updating their cruisers. They are going black and white.



The old, familiar blue and white cruisers have been around for over 40 years according the Niagara Falls Review, so we guess that means it’s time for an ‘upgrade’!



The Recently Opened SHELL CORNER STORE GAS STATION on Geneva St., ST. CATHARINES



Fast Facts:
Full Name:  Shell Corner Store Gas Station
Address: 333 Geneva St., St. Catharines
Phone: 905.935.7117
Hours of Operation: 6-11pm everyday!    


Owner Mark Attwah
There’s a new gas station in town! Shell Corner Store Gas Station located 333 Geneva St, St. Catharines – directly across from Ted St. and close to the Fairview Mall, is now open for business!

Owner, Mark Attwah is a funny guy. When asked who the owner was, he replied with a smile, “the bank”.

Mark, along with two others, will be taking care of business at this Shell location. What used to be the former home of Bruno’s Automotive Service and a Avondale Store, is now home to Shell’s new Corner Gas Station.

View more photos:

VIDEO: The HORSESHOE FALLS in Winter

A winter's visit to the "Canadian Falls" along with some interesting tidbits!





VIDEO: DISCOVERING St. Catharines – Musician RONN METCALFE | PEOPLE of NIAGARA


Club owner of The Castle in St. Catharines, Ontario, back in the day, Ronn Metcalfe was known as the 'king' of The Castle and hosted many great bands of the mid 60's...




People of Niagara

Ronn Metcalfe (July 20, 1930 – May 18, 1969) was a Canadian big band leader from St. Catharines and music industry leader.

He released an LP named after the title track "Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball" which garnered him a gold record. He used this success to start a rock and roll band scene in Niagara, Canada. He created Image Artist Representatives booking/managing agency, and opened The Castle in St. Catharines, the premiere club for bands between Buffalo and Toronto.

Another hit from Metcalfe (which he wrote) was a song called "Back to T.O." (T.O. is vernacular for Toronto)

This Niagara scene spawned many musicians such as Neil Peart from Rush, Glen Gratto from Lee Aaron, Bullrush, and The Mad Cats, Gary Storin from The Stampeders, The Hunt's Paul Dickinson, and Brian Gagnon and other music industry "behind the scene" types such as Jimmy Johnson from Rush and Styx.

Some of Metcalfe's band include:
  • Drummer Chico Fernandez who went on to work with Motown and Vegas acts
  • Alto sax Fred Lipsius who went on to create Blood, Sweat & Tears
  • Bass trombonist Tony Salvatore who later joined Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show Band
  • Sam Falzone who later joined up with Don Ellis.

Ronn Metcalfe died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 38 while on a business/family trip to Ottawa. At the time he was securing a deal with Polydor Records.

In 1976, the building that housed The Castle was demolished for a parking lot. 


Winter Series | Recently Fallen Snow, ST. CATHARINES (11 Photos)



Winter Photos taken around the northern parts of St. Catharines during the months of November and December 2013.

This collection consists of recently fallen snow captured on trees…

COLOURFUL FRUIT DISPLAY at NO FRILLS Supermarket

Colours, colours everywhere! Took some photos of the colourful fruits and veggies displayed over at NO FRILLS supermarket on Welland Ave., St. Catharines...









SPOTTED: IT'S A BIKE, IT'S A QUAD... Around St. Catharines

Back in April, we were heading to the Canadian Tire store when we came upon something… some sort of bike we’ve never seen before and we just had to take a pic.  We’re not sure exactly what it is called. Do you know?




All we knew was it was unique looking...


ST. CATHARINES: FIRST Vertical CONDO In 2 Decades Gets DAMAGED by FIRE


began on the first vertical condominium in St. Catharines in over 20 years.
In November of 2012, construction was started and well underway when a fire broke out in May of 2013 at the Walkers Creek Condominium on Scott St across from the Grantham Plaza.


Start of Construction...