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4 Tips 4 Riding Motorcycles with Child Passengers

Motorcycle rides with kids can be done safely if you do your research and plan properly. Riding with kids can sound scary, but if your children are old enough, this question will come up. 

It’s essential to think of a child’s safety before they are on the motorbike. You want to avoid large helmets on the child’s head, which would just bounce around it. It’s important to think about how and where the child will hold onto. The worst scenario is to ride with one hand and hold a child with another because you can easily lose control of the bike and the child, as well. 

It’s important to be fully ready before you get on the road with your child. So, here are 4 tips 4 riding motorcycles with child passengers. 

Choosing The Right Kid’s Helmets

Kids can reach footpegs around the ages of five or six. Before that, it’s not safe to ride with kids. First, check your motorcycle. You want to make sure that everything is working properly, such as brakes, controls, etc. Whether you’re into italian motorcycles or standard ones, always inspect them before riding, especially with children involved. 

Then, you should start looking for a full-coverage helmet with real expanded polystyrene (or hard foam) in the chin bar and the rest of the shell. The helmet should fit tightly to the kid’s head without moving around. If the helmet doesn’t have a face shield, you should consider buying some goggles. 

The most important aspect of the kid’s helmet is not to come off during a crash. Always check that the helmet is fastened snugly. Some kids may not find this the most comfortable; however, don’t let them loose the chin strap. A full-face helmet with a chin bar and a face shield is the best option for full protection. 

Leather Jacket for Kids

A good jacket for your kid should be comfortable while riding and provide protection in case of falling. You can either choose a tough jacket made of denim or leather. You can pass down your old jackets if they can fit your kids. 

Also, you can find armored jackets, pants, and gloves made for kids in motorcycle apparel stores. The real riding jackets have thick leather, heavy stitching, zipped cuffs, and zippers. However, a good helmet and motorcycle gloves should be a priority. A good and heavy denim jacket can be a safe substitute for a leather jacket. 

Other Apparel

Besides a helmet and a jacket, gloves are an essential part. A lot of companies make child-size gloves in XXS sizes. Even if gloves are a bit large on your kid’s hands, the strap can keep them on tightly. Road gloves have better abrasion-resistant material, but you can also find off-road gloves that are made with the same material. 

Whether some people may be against or for motorcycles, especially regarding children, it’s up to you to provide all needed security and safety if you decide to ride with them. 

Also, your child should wear heavyweight jeans or leavy, long pants. Shoes should rise above the ankle and preferably without shoelaces. A shoelace can get stuck in a chain and cause a problem. Shoes should fit well so they don’t come off in the event of a crash. 

Where Should the Child Sit on The Motorcycle?

 

The safest way is to place your child behind you. However, children can fall asleep during longer rides, it can be difficult for them to hold onto you, or they can easily fall during a quick maneuver. 

The solution for younger kids is to use the Child’s Riding Belt. It’s a harness around the child’s waist, shoulders, and in between legs. The buckle is on the back, so kids can’t release it. A large belt is attached to the rider’s waist. 

If your kid is ten and older, you can use the belt for the rider with handholds for the passenger. This is not a safe option for younger kids because they can forget to hold onto it all the time. 

With these four tips, you and your child should have a pleasant motorcycle ride. 

 




3 Gifts For Boys Your Son Should Love

If you have a young son, then you’ll know how difficult it can sometimes be to buy gifts for boys. While some kids might tell you precisely what they want, quite a few often don’t.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways of figuring it out, however. You could try picking something related to the television shows or movies they like, among other things.

That could still leave you wondering what exactly you should get them. There are quite a few options that you could take advantage of.

Doing so should mean that you’ll have a happy birthday boy.

Gifts For Boys: Top 3 Options

Lightsaber

While Star Wars initially became popular in the 1970s, it’s seen another surge in recent years, thanks to the most recent trilogy in the long-running franchise. It’s gotten to the point that Disney even has a $4,800 per night experience based on the franchise.

You naturally wouldn’t want to spend too much on a birthday present, but there are plenty of more affordable options available. An Obi Wan Kenobi lightsaber can be well-recommended.

The character has been popular for some time and is even getting a spinoff of his own. He’s sure to be one that your son likes.

Pokemon Puzzles

Pokemon has been popular for decades, with that showing no signs of waning. With each of the new games’ releases, the franchise seems to gain more steam.

If your son is already interested in the games and plays them, it could be worth getting him something related to that. You mightn’t want to get him another video game, however.

It could be worth going with some Pokemon puzzles, instead. These will not only be something that they’re interested in but can help with their brainpower.

Since they’ll have to think about how to put the puzzles together, it can be a fun way to help them develop certain skills. What’s not to love?

Graphic Novel

Many parents find that they struggle to get their sons to read more. One way of getting them more interested in by getting him some graphic novels.

These have exploded in popularity in recent years, especially with superheroes continuing to be popular onscreen. They’ve gotten so popular that they’re even to help raise funds for humanitarian efforts.

While many of these can be mature in nature, there are more than a few child-friendly options to choose from. With how affordable they are, you could consider getting him a few of them to help develop his interest in them.

Gifts For Boys: Wrapping Up

There are more than a few gifts for boys that you could consider for your son. Narrowing things down could be difficult.

When you’re trying to decide, aim to get something related to things that he already likes. That could be television shows, movies, sports, and even video games.

It could be worth asking leading questions to get an idea of what he’d like. Each of the above could be well-recommended, however. They should be sure to make your son a happy birthday boy.




The Most Amazing Street Legal Electric Scooters

Street legal electric scooters have become quite popular over the past few years. That’s because they are a suitable alternative to the regular means of transport and quite convenient to use as well. Want to know more about these scooters and how can they help you on the road? Make sure you stick right to the end, then.

Top Five Advantages of Street Legal Electric Scooters

Using a street-legal electric scooter offers many advantages to the users. Here are some of them.

Budget-Friendly

It is no secret that private means of commute are expensive. It is not only expensive to purchase a vehicle but maintaining it requires a lot of money too. Even though older vehicles require frequent maintenance, the overall maintenance of a new vehicle is a lot more expensive.

However, when you have an electric scooter with you, you will spend a lot less amount on transportation. That’s because these scooters are extremely affordable to buy. Not only this, but their maintenance is also a lot budget-friendly as compared to other means of private transport.

Nowadays, you can get an electric scooter for as little as $350. On the other hand, a car can cost you thousands of dollars.

Good for the Environment

Another obvious benefit of using an electric scooter is that it is good for the environment. Since they are an efficient and clean way to travel, they help us save the environment we live in. As the use of fuel-powered cars is rising more than ever, switching to electric scooters is a smart choice for both our present and the future.

The main reason behind this is that the electric scooters don’t use fossil fuels, nor do they release carbon dioxide and other particulates that damage the environment. What’s more, their manufacturing doesn’t cost much to the environment either.

Keep You Active

One of the great reasons to use an electric scooter is that they keep you healthy and fit. If you have ever been to a gym, you must have done plenty of exercises to build up your core. Some of the examples include push-ups, crunches, and sit-ups. However, you stay in pain for days, and they are not that enjoyable either.

But, when you use an electric scooter, it strengthens your core muscles as your body is constantly moving. Due to this, the muscles in your legs, thighs, arms, and shoulders will get tight. Not only this but riding the bike also strengthens the lower body muscles around your pelvic and abdomen region.

They Make Hills Easy

The main reason that people use an electric scooter is so that they can use it to go uphill. So, if you are someone that enjoys cycling and climbing up the hill, an electric scooter is the perfect choice for you. With the help of the motor that comes with the e-scooter, you can get a helping hand to get through the hills without facing any difficulty. In the majority of the cases, you might not notice the ridges at all. What more can you possibly ask for?

In search of an electric scooter that you can easily climb the hills with? You must check out DRIDER 8 MAX by E-Scooters then. This electric scooter for adults with 20 mph features a 350 Watt motor and a range of 40.4 miles. Apart from this, it offers a 20% hill grade and 10-inch pneumatic tires. This is what makes this 20 mph scooter a perfect choice to climb the hills.

Comfortable to Use

Since an electric scooter is extremely comfortable and easy to handle, even girls and women can use them very easily. Apart from this, they have extremely lightweight properties too. In case the bike breaks down, you can easily take it to a nearby safe place and park it. What’s more, the majority of these bikes come with adjustable seats. So, whether you are tall or short, you can easily adjust the seat according to your requirement.

Final Words

A street-legal electric scooter undoubtedly offers countless advantages to its users. It is not only affordable but easy to use and environmentally friendly too. What’s more, due to its lightweight feature, you can take it anywhere with you. This is what makes it popular among the users. Need more information about these scooters? Feel free to contact us. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can.

 




Everything You Need To Know About Online Gambling

Online gambling has come a long way in the last decade, and it is now more accessible than ever. With mobile games and online casinos, many people can now easily access online gambling and be entertained and make some money at the same time. Certainly, in the last two years, online gambling has gained a sharp uptick in popularity as the pandemic forced land-based casinos to close. Without being able to have access to an actual casino, many people turned to the internet and started playing in online casinos instead. The popularity of online casinos is global, and in South Africa alone, 64% of gamblers say they have increased the amount of time and money spent at online casinos. If you are new to the world of online gambling, it can seem complicated and a little daunting, so here is our helpful guide on everything you need to know.

Is It Right For You?

The first thing you need to consider when starting off in online gambling is whether it is right for you. Of course, any sort of gambling can be risky if no precautions are taken before playing. If you have previously had issues with any sort of gambling, it is recommended to avoid online gambling. Although you are playing in an online space, you are still spending your hard-earned money, so you need to be cautious that you do not get carried away. Maintaining a sensible relationship with gambling is so important. You should always view online gambling as a fun form of entertainment and as a way to make some extra money. Holding this mindset throughout your gambling experience will help you to enjoy it more, and you won’t feel as let down if you do not always win big. 

Choosing Reputable Sites

When starting your online gambling journey, it is important to find a reputable site to play on. As you are gambling with real money, it is crucial that the site you play on is licensed, and you can trust them with your money. One great way to find a good website is to read some online reviews and see what people are saying about the website. User reviews can give you a detailed insight into how the online casinos work, and reading first-hand experience can help you get an understanding of some of the games if you are new to online gambling. Choosing the right casino can help make your gambling experience more positive and fun as you know you are betting money in a secure place. Another thing that can help you choose the right casino is what games you want to play. The games offered on online casinos can vary, so if you have a particular game in mind that you want to play, try and find an online casino that offers your favorite game. It’s a good idea to try a few different sites and see which ones you enjoy the most. 

Don’t Set Expectations Too High

A great piece of advice we can offer to people thinking of trying online gambling is to not set your expectations too high. Having realistic expectations can help you enjoy the experience way more as you don’t feel any pressure to make a certain amount of money. If you are new to the world of online gambling, it is very unlikely that you will win big on your first few tries. Not setting your expectations too high can stop you from feeling too disappointed, and it can prevent you from overspending. If you have unrealistic expectations and you don’t reach them straight away, you may start recklessly spending money in attempt to reach your goals. Be sure to ground yourself in reality, be responsible, and understand that online gambling is just a bit of fun and nothing to take too seriously. 

Know Your Limits

This may be one of the most important things to be aware of when starting online gambling. Online gambling can get intense, and it can be very easy to lose track of time if you aren’t careful. The thrill of winning is short-lived, so you may constantly want to chase that high without giving yourself a proper break. Spending a prolonged amount of time on the internet can be damaging to anyone, but it can particularly affect you if you are in a constant cycle of online gambling. Be sure to recognize when you are spending too much time online, and when you recognize those signs, take a step back and give yourself a proper break. Stand up, move away from your gaming area, and give it a couple of hours or days before you come back. Not taking breaks could lead you to make impulsive decisions and you may start recklessly spending your money. Giving your body and mind a break can make you play better as you have taken the time to move away, which can give you the opportunity to create a new strategy.

Find A Few Games You Like

Online gambling has really evolved over the last decade or so, which has led to there being such a huge range of games available. While it is great to have options, if you are new to online gambling, it can feel a little overwhelming, and it can be difficult to decide what games to choose from. Online gambling is supposed to be fun, so try a few games and bet small amounts to see which ones you most enjoy. You may find that your mind works better on games like Blackjack, so play a few games to build a strategy before you start placing large bets. A lot of online casinos will offer a few ‘free play’ slot machine games to first-time players, which are super easy to play, but they are unlikely to make you a lot of money. If there are free games available, play them first and then move on to something a bit more interesting.

 




Creative Ways to Engage Your Kids

When your kids aren’t in school or occupied in some other way, you have to think of a way to enrich their minds while having fun with them. As your children grow up, they engage more and more with the world around them. Even if you aren’t a teacher, you can still show your kids the world and its inner workings. If you want to keep your kids curious, try these methods of helping them interact with the world around them.

Start a Puzzle

What kid doesn’t love jigsaw puzzles? Make sure the puzzle you choose is within your children’s capabilities. Choose a puzzle with a fun image on the front, whether real or a cartoon, that will entice your kids to complete it.

Working on a puzzle steadily throughout the week will help your children build their problem-solving skills. After they’re finished with it, you can frame and hang it.

Build a Science Lab

You may not be able to build a laboratory in your backyard, but you can still create ways for your children to explore science. Making a butterfly garden in your yard might be the best way for your kids to interact with the beautiful bugs that frequent floral and colorful areas.

When developing a small butterfly garden for your backyard, remember to let your natural plants grow rather than using chemicals on them. Those chemicals can harm butterflies just as easily as they can kill weeds.

Tell Stories

Encourage your children to make up their own stories. See what they can come up with on the spot when you give them a broad topic. Their stories might not make sense at first — or at all if your children are young — but you’ll be left with a greater understanding of their imagination and the stories they like to tell and hear about. This knowledge can help you in the future by allowing you to buy books you know they’ll enjoy.

Teach Them How to Play With Others

As your children grow, so do their abilities to play with the world around them. While they may start out playing on their own or observing the world around them as others play, they eventually learn to play cooperatively with others by honing their problem-solving and teamwork skills. You can help your children practice their social skills by playing with them, indoors or outside. This way, they’ll be able to blossom when they encounter peers their own age.

Have a Dance Party

What better way to get rid of excess energy than by dancing? Put on your children’s favorite tunes and have the party to end all parties. Encourage them to create dance moves on the spot.

You can even teach them popular dances when you are growing up. The great part about dance parties is that you can sit down once you get tired and watch your kids continue the party for you.

Encourage Them to Make Art

Every day that you want your children to explore the realms of art tries setting out different materials. One day, they can work with charcoal, while another day, they might work with oil pastels or watercolor paint. Making art can help relieve children of stress and soothe anxiety symptoms if they display any. Plus, it helps them hone their skills with a hobby that is just as fun as beneficial.

Show Them Card Tricks

Even the simplest card tricks easily amuse kids because they look like pure magic. Now is the perfect time to practice mastering your skills while showing your kids how to do easy card tricks. They’d love to learn a special kind of magic that they can show off to their friends. As they get older, you can show them more complicated magic tricks to delight them even more.

Play Pretend

Your children will love the opportunity to play pretend with you. When young, people’s imaginations have no limitations. Playing with your children will allow you to jump into a world of their design, one where they can be anything they want — and you can be anything they want, too. Spending more time with your kids can help you bond with them, and you will make memories that last a lifetime, even after your children grow up and leave home.

Read Together

Pick out an age-appropriate book to read with your children. You can spend a whole afternoon reading to your children or reading a chapter out of a book each day. Through this activity, you can explain new words to your children and expand their vocabulary.

You can always switch books if one becomes too dull for any of you. There are plenty of books in the world, so your family is bound to love one of them.

Play a Trivia Game

Trivia is fun for any budding scholar. Children love learning about new things, no matter the topic. Learning trivia that may seem pointless at first can positively affect your memory in the long run, so having trivia nights is beneficial to both you and your kids. As long as you keep the trivia questions light and something that your kids would be interested in, you can keep them interested in learning for as long as you want.

Expand Your Children’s Minds

By spending more time with your children and encouraging them to be creative, you can help your children grow into more well-rounded people. Supporting them as they use their creative abilities means fostering their best possible growth. You also expose them to different lifestyles and hobbies they could be interested in as they get older. You can guide your children down the right path to be more well-rounded in the future.




How to Have the Healthiest Spring Ever

One morning this week, you wake up and hear birdsong. Spring is in the air. Outside, you notice that tiny green daffodil tips are pushing out of the ground, and there’s a birdnest in the bush outside your kitchen window.

With spring comes the urge to renew and refresh your life. Many people channel this extra energy into cleaning their homes. Spring is the perfect time to improve your habits to have a healthier life. Here are some tips for you to put into practice throughout this season:

Spend Time Outside

One of the very best things you can do for your health is to spend more time outside. Nature is incredibly restorative and offers opportunities to strengthen your body and calm your mind. Spending time in forests can be particularly beneficial, as trees give off calming aerosols known as terpenes.

To increase your outdoor time, try eating lunch outside. You can start incorporating walks into your evening or morning routine and go outside for breaks during the workday. Over the weekend, plan to go hiking or spend time working in a garden. The more contact you have with the ground, the better you’ll feel.

Get Off Your Phone

To give yourself more time outside, you’ll need to spend less time on your phone. Social media and news accounts are designed to become addicting. They suck up your time and mental energy with very little reward. You can break the cycle this summer and plug it into the real world instead.

Start by deleting apps from your phone. You can also download programs designed to block sites after a certain period of time. If you use social media for work, the timer option will work better than quitting cold turkey. Stay off social media for a full month to see how this affects your mental health. You may never go back!

Exercise It Out

Exercising has a number of health benefits for your body. Regular exercise helps to improve your mood by increasing feel-good hormones in your body called endorphins. If you’re feeling unmotivated or depressed, exercise can help reduce feelings of anxiety and shift your mindset. Working out is so good for your health that there’s not really a good reason to avoid it.

Moving your body helps to regulate insulin and reduce your risk for disease. When you stimulate your body with exercise, your skin gets healthier and your bones stronger. Cognitive functions like memory and focus also get sharper with exercise. Try working out outside to reap the benefits of nature and movement together.

Reduce Sugar Intake

Sugar might taste good, but too much of it can make you sick. When you eat processed sugar, it causes mood swings and energy crashes. It’s also addictive, so once you start eating sweets, it’s hard to stop. Sugar causes inflammation throughout your body, putting pressure on your immune system.

For example, inflammation makes your skin age more quickly. It can also aggravate acne and slow down your skin’s ability to heal. Eating excess sugar puts stress on your heart and raises your blood pressure. This summer, create strategies to lower your sugar intake. Stop drinking sugary soft drinks and replace desserts with fruit.

Prioritize Sleep and Rest

Sleep is an incredibly important component of your overall health. While you sleep, your body repairs itself so that you’re ready to function well the next day. Research suggests that during a good night of sleep, the brain washes itself with fluid to remove toxic substances. Adults need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night to stay healthy and function at their best.

In addition to sleep, it is important to take time for myself and relax in some way that suits me best. For example, I could call someone or read a book. Good mental health is invaluable, and it’ll have positive effects on your self-esteem and productivity. But there’s a connection between mental health and physical wellbeing, too. It’s time we started encouraging people to take needed time off.

Journal Your Thoughts

If you’ve never tried journaling before, now is the time. Writing out your inner dialogue can help you sort out your emotions and find patterns in the way you respond to others. Journaling with a pen and paper helps you slow down, or you can type if you have a lot to say in a short amount of time.

Copious amounts of research show that journaling isn’t just a trend. It can reduce anxiety and depression, improve memory and create optimism. There’s no one right way to journal, but consistency will bring the best results. If you start seeing patterns in your writing and aren’t sure how to grow out of them yourself, consider seeing a therapist.

Forgive Someone

If you really want to go deep and strengthen your health, make a commitment to forgive someone. Life can be hard and if you’re harbouring any bitterness or pain inside, it will only make it harder to go on. You can’t control how others treat you, but at the end of the day, your reaction is in your hands.

Anger may feel like the only right response sometimes, but it negatively affects your health from the inside out. Forgiveness is a choice you can make – with practice, your emotions can heal, and bitterness will lift out of your life. Many people can also benefit from forgiving themselves for past mistakes and regrets.

Healthy and Happy This Spring

You can cultivate health this spring by making daily decisions that benefit your body and mind. Start with reducing screen time and spending time in nature instead. Incorporate exercise into your schedule and find creative ways to reduce your sugar intake.

Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, and try keeping a journal to improve your mood. Finally, consider if there are any relationships you need to forgive? This includes people close to you! The choices you make to prioritize your health will quickly add up. This spring, you can be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself ever.




Co-Parenting Tips for Single Mothers

If you’re divorced or no longer in a relationship with your child’s father, you may face some co-parenting challenges. This can be the case even if your relationship with the father is relatively amicable. Whether this is the case or there are tensions, there are certain steps you can take to make things smoother.

Communicate

Working out a way to communicate effectively is important, even if you only ever talk to one another when there needs to be some kind of change of plan, such as saying that you’ll be late for a pickup. Some parents agree to use a certain method, such as texting, to reduce the likelihood of arguments. Try to avoid getting drawn into any conflicts and keep your conversations factual if this is an issue. Avoid the temptation to ask your kids to carry messages back and forth, even if you dislike communicating with your ex. Ideally, you and your ex might even be able to come to an agreement on certain ground rules, such as when bedtimes are. This can help you find peace and even simply get a better night’s sleep during the times that you are away from your children.

Consider College Costs

Although child custody agreements generally only address issues with children up to the age of 18, some parents may want to include additional provisions, such as what kind of contributions each of you will make toward the child’s college education. If this is not part of your formal custody agreement, you may still want to discuss it with the father. The two of you still might want to contribute to an education fund. If you are concerned about having enough money for tuition and other expenses and also about your child being saddled with bills, you might want to look into taking out low-rate Private Parent Loan to help them out with reducing their education debt after graduation so they’re in a better financial situation starting out in the real world.

Encourage a Relationship

In most cases, it’s a good idea to encourage your child’s relationship with the other parent and set aside your own emotions. This can be tough, and you may struggle with reminding yourself that differences in how you parent doesn’t mean that you can’t both be effective and loving with your kids. You should try to be positive about your child spending time with their father and try to get rid of negative energy even when you feel frustrated, such as if they are late or a no-show for an agreed upon visitation. Otherwise, you risk making your child feel anxious or as though they have to choose between the two of you. You might even push them away.

Take the Long View

One thing to keep in mind is that you and the other parent will probably be a part of one another’s lives for years, if not decades. You may have to see one another at events such as graduations and weddings, and when you do, the focus should be on supporting your kids and not on the tension between the two of you. Therefore, the sooner you are able to be in the same place amicably the better. However, even if it takes years, parents can move from a high conflict co-parenting relationship to one that is much more functional.

 




The Art of Interactive Art Installations

The last few years have seen immersive art experiences become an increasingly popular trend. These amazing art installations combine art and technology, such as digital projectors, holography, and virtual reality, to bring iconic and new works of art to life. Although traditional mediums such as painting, sculpture, and filmmaking are still widely used, interactive art installations have become increasingly popular.

Art has been spurred by a new period marked by technological advancements, the Internet, and a cultural shift. Let’s delve straight in and look at some of the best interactive art installations from around the world.

Behaviors of Light by JNZNBRK

With their temporary piece “Behaviours of Light,” Canadian architecture group JNZNBRK has changed an entire gallery space. The designers meticulously positioned 39 acrylic triangles to generate a reflection, each treated with a semi-reflective film at a certain height. The installation forces the observer to reconsider the gallery surroundings; the room’s walls provide a space for the work and play an essential role in its presentation.

Internal Objects by Rachel Whiteread

Rachel Whiteread has taken her architectural sculptures in an entirely new direction for Internal Objects, following the strangest year in art history. Whiteread’s latest exhibition inverts this eerie motif. In contrast, her previous work explores hidden tales and human presence through cabin-like sculptures. In addition, she’s decided to build new shacks rather than cast existing forms for the first time, embracing openness, rebirth, and imperfection.

Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return

Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return opened in 2016, funded by Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin and immediately cemented itself as a major destination for immersive art. Visitors at Meow Wolf begin by visiting the fictional Selig family’s home, where they will soon uncover portals leading to extraordinary spaces created by local artists.

Titanic: The Exhibition by Dock X

Take a trip back to April 1912 at the Titanic Exhibition in London. As you find never-before-seen items and details about the tragic events that unfolded, this thought-provoking experience explores the heartbreaking personal stories of people aboard the fateful voyage.

The Sensory GaiaMotherTree by Ernesto Neto

From June 30 to July 29, 2018, Ernesto Neto’s massive installation was on exhibit in Zurich Main Station. GaiaMotherTree, the Brazilian artist’s meticulously constructed artwork, was built entirely by hand.

He created a gigantic transparent structure out of brightly colored cotton strips tied together with a finger-crocheting method to examine the constructs of social space and the natural environment by allowing physical engagement and sensory experience.

Area 15

AREA15 is a Las Vegas-based experiential art and entertainment complex that features immersive activations, art installations, cutting-edge technology, retail, and food and beverage. Art Island is also made up of a permanent gallery with space for festival-inspired artwork and an ever-changing Japanese maple tree and canopy with more than 5,000 LED lights.

Plane White by Carina Ow

The “Plane White” installation is a digitally interactive version of Kandinsky’s famous painting “Composition VIII.” Kandinsky was a synesthete, which means he had a psychological condition that caused him to hear colors. 

As a result, he associated each shade with a specific musical note, making an entire painting represent a completed song by blurring the border between the visitor and the digital dimension—these digital artists, like Kandinsky, experience art in a non-traditional, multi-sensory way.

Ryoji Ikeda

Ryoji Ikeda originally opened his doors to 180 Showrooms on May 20th, 2021. To celebrate five years of collaborative work with The Vinyl Factory, he opened up the largest European show in his history at 180 The Strand (180 The Strand for short). He showed 12 artworks – five of which had never been viewed by the public – and triggered undetectable frequencies to create an immersive digital experience over many floors.

The City Museum: St. Louis

The City Museum, housed in an old shoe warehouse, has been pushing the boundaries of art and entertainment since 1997. If you are looking for a place to explore new forms of art, the interactive exhibits at this museum should be high on your list. You will never be bored here with climbing structures, underground passages, and multi-story slides waiting for you to explore.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

One of the most popular art exhibitions ever is this immersive installation based on Vincent Van Gogh’s work. The inside of the exhibition feels like stepping into his paintings and taking a step back in time. It’s a 360-degree display that borders on overwhelming in its beauty, with powerful effects and moments of great intensity.




6 Home Renovation Ideas to Spruce Up Your Home

Home renovation is a process that we all go through from time to time. It gives you an opportunity to re-design your home according to your current preferences. Whether you want a massive renovation or want to make minor changes. The home remodeling company in Washington is the best and the most experienced contractor that you must choose for your home renovation done perfectly.

Houses with foundation problems usually aren’t in danger of collapse. Most houses become unsafe to live in because of a sudden and catastrophic event, usually a natural disaster. If that happens, you’ll know about it. The truth is, many people live in houses with foundation problems without realizing it. Foundation problems can be present for years before they start causing visible problems in the rest of the house.

Here are six home renovation ideas that will help you decide what changes or repairs you want to make to your home. 

Lighting

Lights play a major role in creating the perfect vibe for a house. If you want more natural light to enter your home, then you have two options. First, you can replace the wooden doors with a glass door. Second, you can use translucent curtains over window panes to let the sunlight in. 

You can switch to LED light bulbs or fairy lights to create a colorful dimmer effect. Installing dimmer switches will help you control the brightness of the lights. Using pendant lights or spotlights will help you accentuate your favorite furniture pieces and is a treat to the eyes. You can use different materials like glass, marble, or granite to create an abstract effect from the fixtures around the bulbs.

New Flooring

The flooring of the house gets tarnished after years of people walking around the house. You clean the floor of your house with harsh elements, but this eventually affects the surface of your floor. 

You can wash and polish the floor to regain the previous shine. You can also redo your carpeting or replace the carpeting with wood floor installation, which will give the house an ethnic yet modern look bringing warmth to the room space. To decrease your expenses on the flooring, you can use laminate and vinyl flooring.

Add More Greenery Inside and Outside the House

Get new plants and saplings for your house. Put the flower plants in pots and decorate them around the house for a beautiful, colorful and peaceful vibe. Keeping plants inside the house will reduce the levels of carbon dioxide and cut down on airborne dust as well. If you are not much of a plant person, then get artificial or low-maintenance plants. 

You can grow creepers on the top of your entrance gate or let the creepers crawl over the boundary walls. Line up those plant pots around the lawn. Grow plants or trees that help minimize air pollution to keep your surroundings fresh.

Switch to eco-friendly products and energy sources. It might seem expensive at first, but it will cut your bills down the line and keep the environment safe as well. Install energy-saving lighting. You can also install solar panels. However, if you consider installing solar panels, don’t do it yourself. It’s a tedious job that requires professional training. Fortunately, SunPower solar panel installers are there to install the system and assure its optimal operation.

Water is the ultimate culprit when it comes to foundation damage. In order to keep your home safe, proper landscaping around the foundation is important. If it rains and your property is very flat, you could end up with water everywhere. Proper landscaping by a Landscaping company can help guide water to places you want it to go, such as street gutters, dry wells, and swales.

Create more Storage Space

Over the years, you accumulate new things for yourself and your home. Your home becomes crowded with stuff lying all around the house. As such, creating more storage space will help keep your home organized and clean. 

Use open shelves to store a variety of things. You can add them to the shelves you use for storing more utensils and kitchen items, or you can use the area under the staircases for storage. Get cabinets with multiple drawers to make more space for storage. 

HVAC, Wiring, Plumbing

If your toilet whistles when flushed, the problem is usually a faulty fill valve. This valve regulates the amount of water that enters your tank after you flush and is generally located in the left rear corner of your toilet’s tank. The louder the whistle, the more likely the fill valve needs replacement. You will need to contact a professional plumber as soon as possible.

The essential resources in and around the house run efficiently because of HVAC, Wiring, and Plumbing. Their efficiency degrades by repeated usage over time. They need to be checked regularly for any problems and need to be repaired immediately. If they are not tended to, then the entire system might get damaged, and you will need to install a new system. The repairing costs can be a little expensive, but it will be pricier if you need to change the entire system. 

Go for trusted brands and good professionals to do your work. You can’t take the risk of buying low-quality HVAC, wiring, and plumbing tools as they hold the foundation for energy to flow around the house.

Repair Damaged Furniture

The furniture in your home weakens at the joints and breaks when used for years. Wood furniture decays while furniture made of iron will rust. Sitting or sleeping on broken furniture might lead to mishaps. So to avoid any such event, replace your furniture when you notice that it has been thoroughly used and cannot hold anything or anyone anymore. 

Go for modern furniture that occupies less space around the house. This will provide you with more sitting space and can be shuffled easily around different areas of your home. To give a retro appeal, you can buy furniture from an antique furniture store. Make sure that the product you buy is in good condition and will last you for years.

Conclusion

home renovation project needs to be carefully planned according to your comfort, needs, and budget. You can either make add-ons to already existing spaces or start adding new things from scratch. You can hire an architect to help you with the designs or get a professional to execute your required designs. If you have the time and experience, then you can DIY your own home space. This will save you the expenses of hiring somebody else to do the job.




Do Garage Doors Need Regular Maintenance?

Garage doors go through a lot. They are subject to extreme weather, and most of us run the automatic garage door opener at least once a day. Along with that, a garage door is more complex than the doors we use to enter and exit our homes.

Most people don’t think much about the function of a garage door until it doesn’t work. You hit the button, the door doesn’t open, and you suddenly find yourself much more interested in the workings of a garage door.

What you might not realize is that a little maintenance can go a long way to ensure you never get the surprise of a garage door that won’t open.

Do you think that your garage door needs regular maintenance? If you have a modern wood garage door, then you are correct! Modern wood garage doors are built to last and need to be taken care of in order to maintain their condition. What you might not realize is that a little maintenance can go a long way to ensure you never get the surprise of a garage door that won’t open.

 

Why Garage Doors Need Maintenance

The first reason is that maintenance will keep the door in good working condition. Regular maintenance can prevent the possibility of a garage door that stops working out of nowhere.

Preventative maintenance can also save the homeowner money. With a little maintenance, you can extend the life of the garage door and the parts that allow it to move.

It is also a safety issue. Garage doors are heavy, and when they fall into a state of disrepair, they can be dangerous. With a little time and effort, you can protect against garage door accidents.

Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door

If you want to keep your garage door in good shape, you should do a little maintenance at least once a year. As a good rule of thumb, you could add the following garage door maintenance steps to your spring cleaning routine.

Observe the Door in Operation

The first step is to turn the door opener on and observe it in operation. Watch to see how smoothly it moves and listen for any noises. If the door opens in a jerky or shuddering motion, or if you hear grinding or scraping, you have a problem.

Inspect and Tighten Hardware

The motion of an automatic garage door can loosen the hardware over time. Grab a wrench and go check all the hardware on the door and on the tracks. If anything is loose, use your wrench to tighten it back up.

Lubricate Moving Parts

Lubricating the moving parts can do a lot to keep your garage door working well. Check the rollers, any chains, and the hinges. You can buy products that are marketed as garage door lubricants, but you could also use something like lithium grease or an all-purpose lubricant.

Inspect Rollers and Cables

The next step is to inspect the rollers for the garage door. Most garage door rollers will need to be replaced about once every five to ten years. You should also perform a visual inspection of the cables and pulleys. If it does come time to repair or replace the cables, pulleys, or rollers, you might want to hire a professional that does garage door installation. Doing this work on your own comes with the risk of damage to the door or injury to the individual.

Clean the Tracks

Inspect the tracks on both sides of the door to make sure they are clear and free of debris. If they are dirty, clean them out.

Check the Balance of the Door

When the garage door goes out of balance, it can make it more difficult to open. This will mean that it is more work if you try to open the door manually and that it is putting more stress on the garage door opener. The best way to test the balance of a garage door is to release it from the automatic opener and then open the door to about halfway. A properly balanced door should stay open on its own. If not, you will need to balance your garage door or contact a professional to do it for you.

Test the Auto-Reverse on the Door

Most garage door openers will have an auto-reverse feature to protect against the door closing on a person or pet. One way to test it is to place a brick or a piece of wood in the path of the door and then hit the button to close the door. It should start to reverse as soon as it comes in contact with the object. Some garage doors use a photoelectric cell to detect objects in the path of the door before it makes contact. You can test that by pushing the button to close the door and then moving an object in front of the sensors.

Spending a little time on garage door maintenance will keep the door working as it should and extend the life of the parts. This will save you money over time, and it will ensure the safe operation of the door.