Fall 2009

digestH

OM

EH

OM

EdigestFall 2009

YOUR GUIDE TO

HOME AND LIFE

IMPROVEMENT

Visit us online at homedigest.ca

partyRECESSION-STYLERECESSION-STYLE

Organizing a dinner groupOrganizing a dinner group

partytimetime

Fall 2009

DECOR!The right mattress

for a good night’s sleep

GARDEN!Pre-winter chores

COGITATE!Carrying your scars lightly

ORGANIZE!The hidden cost of clutter

DECOR!The right mattress

for a good night’s sleep

GARDEN!Pre-winter chores

COGITATE!Carrying your scars lightly

ORGANIZE!The hidden cost of clutter

Fall_durham09_internet 9/3/09 9:20 AM Page 1

page 12 page 3

HO

ME

HOMEdigestINTERNATIONAL LTD.

www.homedigest .ca

Business & Advertising1416 Stonehampton Ct.Pickering, ON L1V 7C9Tel.: 905-509-9900 Fax: 905-509-9990e-mail:[email protected] Address115 George St.Unit 1524Oakville, ON L6J 0A2e-mail:[email protected]

PublisherBarry Holmes

EditorBill Roebuck

Art DirectorBarbara Burrows

Food EditorRoslyn Ralph

Gardening EditorRichard Rix

ProofreaderPeter Stanbridge

Regular ContributorsHellen ButtigiegJim CampbellKimberley Seldon

Advertising Sales Barry HolmesFred King

AdministrationPatricia Mansvelt Beck

Ad Design/PrepressAd Com Advertising

Home Digest is publishedfour times a year.All rights reserved.

Established 1995

Copyright © 2009.Contents may not bereproduced or transmittedin any form whatsoeverwithout written permissionof the publisher.

Distributed by CanadaPost to 700,000 selectedhomes in the GreaterToronto Area andDurham Region.

page 10

16 HOME DECOR

The right mattress

for a good night’s

sleep.

20 THE RENO FILE

Finding the path

to satisfaction.

46 WHAT’S NEW

New products cover cooking to

cleaning.

SPONSORED FEATURES

• Skin Vitality . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

• Inside Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

• Superior Bath . . . . . . . . . . 7

• Custom Vision . . . . . . . . . 15

• Mr. Sandless . . . . . . . . . . 15

• Herongate . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

• Lifestyle Sunrooms . . . . . . 19

• Creations Studio . . . . . . . 21

• Crimson Sage . . . . . . . . . 27

• Granite Transformations . . 25 cove

r:©

kafk

a-Fo

tolia

.com

CONTENTSdigest

Fall 2009

3 HEALTHY EATING

Organizing a dinner group for

your next recession-proof party.

5 EVELYN’S HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Practical bleach proves helpful

outdoors too.

8 PEN POINT

Carrying your scars lightly.

10 GETTING ORGANIZED

The hidden cost of clutter.

12 IN THE GARDEN

Preparing your yard for winter.

page 20


continued on page 4

If you’re watching your pennies moreclosely these days, hosting a dinner partymay not be on this fall’s social calendar.And let’s face it, planning and hosting adinner party can be stressful.

However, if you enjoy the pleasureof good food shared with goodfriends, there is a way to have fun,keep the budget in line and keepthe stress to a minimum. Start adinner group!

Here’s how it works. Smallgroups work best, perhaps sixto eight people at most. Eachmember or couple takes turns inhosting the dinner party. It is thehost’s responsibility to pick a themefor the evening and to prepare the

HEALTHY EATING

Organize a dinner group to make your next dinner party a collaborative event.

B Y R O S L Y N R A L P H

main course. Other members each pre-pare various components of the rest of themeal: appetizers, a starter course, salad

and dessert. You can add as manycourses as you havemembers. The idea isto prepare dishes thatare in keeping with thetheme and to sharefavourite recipes or per-haps try some new ones.

Here are a few guide-lines to help you get started.

■ Each member or coupletakes a turn at hosting the

evening.

partypartyIt’sIt’s

time!©

Mon

key

Busi

ness

,Mik

ko P

itkan

en-F

otol

ia.c

om

3Fall 2009 • HOMEdigest

tFall_durham09_internet 9/3/09 9:20 AM Page 3

4 HOMEdigest • Fall 2009

■ While it is the host’s choice of theme, it’s a good idea to discuss various pos-sibilities with the group.

■ The other courses for the meal arerotated through the group at each get-together, so every member will have achance to prepare a different part of themeal.

■ It is the responsibility of anyone with food allergies to make all other mem-bers aware.

■ Check with the hosts to make sure theyhave the necessary dishes/utensils for your course. For example, if you decideto prepare a soup for a starter, make sure your host has enough soup bowls for the group. If they don’t, supply yourown.

■ If appetizers are your responsibility, provide napkins and plates as needed.Beyond these suggestions, how the

group functions is up to the members.You may want to pick a theme for theevening or just let everyone bring theirfavourite dishes. A group may decide to

make the gatherings formal and bring thegood crystal and china out of hiding.Others may want an informal setting. Thegroup can decide to exchange copies ofthe recipes used or perhaps may decideto only give the recipes if requested.

No matter how you decide to organizeyour group, the idea is for it to be a funevening. A dinner group is a great way totry different cuisines, explore wines andbeers from other countries, and even tolisten to theme music that adds to themood of the gathering.

Some popular cuisines to explore areFrench, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Indianand Chinese. But don’t let your imagina-tion stop there. Why not try Moroccan,Scandinavian, Thai or Spanish? As well, itcould be fun to select a decade as yourtheme. For example, go through some ofyour parents’ or grandparents’ recipesand host a Fifties dinner party.

Remember, above all, have fun andenjoy the company of friends over a mealyou have all helped prepare. b

Party Planning IdeasWhy not add a twist to your dinner group and plan a progressive dinner. Instead of one group member hosting, everyone hosts as youmove from house to house for the different courses of the meal.Begin with everyone gathering for appetizers at one house, move asa group to the main course at the next house, and then on to thedessert house.

This idea works best when the members are within a comfortablewalking distance to each other. No drinking and driving!

Here are some other dinner group themes to try:� Dinner and a movie. Just like the popular TV show, pick a favourite movie and plan a

menu around the movie's theme. For example try ‘Casablanca’ and Moroccan food.� TV dinners. Like the movie-themed dinner, pick a popular TV show and create a menu

that fits.� Mardis Gras time.Think Cajun cooking, and lots of beads, masks and Zydeco music.� Around the World. Let each member select a country and bring a dish. Hang some

travel posters around the room and ask members to bring along pictures of their travels to share with the group.

HEALTHY EATING continued from page 3

©Yu

ri A

rcur

s-Fo

tolia

.com


©a-

n-k-

i-Fot

olia

.com

EVELYN’S HOUSEHOLD HINTS

bleachproves practical – even outdoors

With Fall around the corner, it’stime to start thinking about cleaning upthe garden and yard – especially stainedplastic lawn furniture. Luckily, homeown-ers need to look no further than their ownlaundry rooms.

Though bleach is found in most homes,many homeowners don’t realize that it cando more than keep your socks lookingwhite. Bleach is a simple, inexpensivesolution to keep your house sparkling –both inside and out.

Here are a few tips from Clorox to helptackle the great outdoors using householdbleach.■ After pruning shrubs and plants, cleangardening tools thoroughly with liquidbleach to prevent the possible spread ofplant disease and infection. Remember todry off your gardening tools after cleaningto prevent rust.■ Keep cut flowers from your gardenlooking fresh longer by adding six toseven drops of bleach into a litre of water.Cut off the bottom of each stem first toexpose a fresh surface.■ Remove mildew from patio tiles byapplying a solution of 180 ml of liquidbleach and about four litres of waterdirectly on the grout. Let it sit for 15 min-utes before scrubbing.

■ Clean white plastic lawn furniture witha mixture of 120 ml of liquid bleach andabout four litres of water. Rinse and letair-dry.

Of course, bleach is commonly usedinside the home as well. Here are somesuggestions for getting your laundrybrighter.■ Use your washing machine’s bleachdispenser. If you don’t have a dis-penser, simply pour in diluted bleach(after your detergent) as your washingmachine fills with water. Use 180 ml ofbleach for a standard washer, or 300 mlfor an extra-large washer or heavilysoiled clothes.■ For best results, add detergent as thewasher fills, then add clothes after agita-tion has begun. After clothes are thor-oughly wet and the machine has agitat-ed for five minutes, add bleach that’sbeen diluted with about a litre of water.Avoid pouring the solution directly ontofabric.■ Adding diluted bleach after the deter-gent has dissolved delivers a slightlybrighter wash load.■ Diluted bleach solutions need to bemade fresh for every use. Once diluted,bleach breaks down quickly – mainly intosalt and water. b




When Eleanor Welsh sawthe changes in her life that sheachieved with Skin Vitality, shebought the company. That wasback in 1992, and since then shehas built it to its current level ofsuccess as a medical clinic withfour locations in Toronto,Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Ajax.Welsh has more than 100 on staff, includ-ing Dr. Jennifer Rotstein and RegisteredNurse Injection Specialist Lori Pollock.

The clinic’s Botox injections willremove fine lines and wrinkles, resultingin Welsh’s patients looking 10 yearsyounger and feeling better about them-selves. Its FotoFacial RF skin enhance-ment system evens out skin tone, reduces

YOUR HEALTH S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

Take 10 years off your appearancesun damage, age spots, rosaceaand broken capillaries, and tight-ens the skin.

“Elos was featured on OprahWinfrey, Dr. Phil and Entertain-ment Tonight as the best systemfor skin tightening and skin rejuvenation in North America,”

adds Welsh.Among the many other services avail-

able are the Non-Surgical Thirty-MinuteFacelift, FDA medically approved inch lossand cellulite treatments, and even a com-plete “cosmetic enhancement makeoverpackage.” b

■ For more information, call 1-877-356-7776

or visit www.skinvitality.ca.

Eleanor Welsh

The air inside our homes can be five to10 times more polluted than outside,according to the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA). The World HealthOrganization has reported that poor indoorair quality is now the fifth leading cause ofill health globally. This is not good newsfor Canadians, who spend 90% of theirtime indoors.

New cases of asthma and breathing sen-sitivities continue to climb, as tightly sealedhomes trap harmful allergens and toxinsinside. So it’s not a question of whether weshould install proper air cleaning equip-ment in our homes to protect our health,

it’s a question of which solution to choose.IQAir is the world’s top-rated air clean-

ing brand. IQAir is a Swiss company thatintroduced the first residential air cleaner45 years ago, and has perfected the processof removing allergens and chemicals fromthe air we breathe. IQAir is also the namemost trusted by hospitals around the globe.

IQAir continues to develop clinicallyproven technologies that dramaticallyimprove indoor air quality and the healthof occupants. To learn more, call Inside Airat (905) 285-0244, and let the staff intro-duce you to air cleaning solutions thatactually work. Visit www.insideair.com.b

AROUND THE HOUSE S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

breathe easier


RENO 101 S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

Many people are wary when it comesto having a complete bathroom renova-tion done in their homes. If you followthese simple guidelines, they could turn apotential nightmare into a success story.

■ Start with a realistic budget foryour project. Discuss it with your renova-tion consultant in detail to make sure thatyour budget matches your expectations.

■ Hire a bathroom renovation spe-cialist. Bathroom renovations are spe-cialized work and you do not want tohire a jack of all trades and a master ofnone. It’s wise to ask for three references.One should always be for a project thatthe company is currently working on.Another should be a project that was justcompleted in the past month or so, andfinally, ask for a reference for a job thatwas completed about a year or so ago.

■ Confirm the renovator has worker’scompensation insurance. Renovatorsshould carry at least $2 million in liabilityinsurance. Don’t be shy; ask to see theircertificates. You do not want to be respon-sible if they get hurt on your jobsite.

■ Read the fine print. Go over the con-tract carefully and watch for anything

allowing for ‘unforseens’. You want tolook for companies that don’t charge forunexpected extras.

■ Work from a single point of contact.Make sure that the company you hire todo the renovation has a showroomwhere you can see real bathroom dis-plays. If you work with a big box outletand their contractor, you become themiddleman between the two companies,not a good position. With one contact,you won’t ping-pong between a contrac-tor and a retail outlet.

■ Compare apples to apples. When youare looking for an estimate, make sure thatyou choose your product and colour selec-tion at the showroom. This will help youget a true picture of what your costs will be.

■ Insist on warranties. Be sure to get afive-year installation warranty (not to bemistaken for the manufacturer’s warranty)and that you have on-site project man-agement to ensure a smooth installationprocess. b

■ Joe Beninato is president of Superior

Bath Reno Inc. and a bathroom renovation

expert. Contact him at 905-426-1714 or

e-mail [email protected].

Tipsfor successful bathroom renovationsB Y J O E B E N I N A T O




When I was eight, I marched into thekitchen to tell my mother, “Dad has nothumb on his right hand!” She gave me alook that expressed amazement andpatience. My dad’s right hand was man-gled in a printing press well before theygot married. The doctors did their best topatch up his mangled right hand and wrist.He ended up with very limited flexibilityand no thumb.

It wasn’t that I was unaware of all that;it was the first time I’d ever thought aboutwhat it meant not to have a thumb and aworking right hand. For days, I watched

how my father did simple tasks, and thenI experimented on doing things withoutusing my right thumb. I tried to write witha pencil between my index and middlefingers, and hold a knife and fork to cutmeat. I tried all sorts of things. It was hard,really hard.

I now understand why I’d never reallythought about his handicap. He nevertalked about his injury or complainedabout the way it had changed his life andprospects. He managed, he compensated,he carried on.

In a novel, The Eagle of the Ninth by

PEN POINTIll

ustr

atio

n:G

eral

d H

eyde

ns

woundedThe talking

Being absolutely honest with your reality, you can decide

to move on and to concentrate your thoughts and energy on what

you can do, rather than on what you can’t.

B Y J I M C A M P B E L L


unfair it all is, others sto-ically refuse to acknowl-edge their handicaps, theirproblems, their limitations.

Steven Hawking, thebrilliant physicist who hassuffered from ALS (Amyo-trophic Lateral Sclerosis orLou Gehrig’s Disease) fordecades, said: “One has tobe grown up enough torealize that life is not fair.You just have to do thebest you can in the situa-

tion you are in.” The ‘best you can’ (sofar) for Sam Sullivan, confined to awheelchair, was to become Vancouver’smayor; for Stephen Fletcher, as a quadri-plegic, to be parliamentary secretary tothe Minister of Health. People like thempoint the way for all of us to deal withhandicaps.

Ah, but you say they are exceptionalpeople. Not really! They did what manyhave done. They made two solid choices.They were absolutely honest with them-selves, with their reality. They saw thatdwelling on their loss was counterproduc-tive. Their handicaps would not go away.The wheelchair, the limp or the weakness-es were part of their future.

This led to a second step: they decidedto move on, to concentrate their thoughtand energy on what they can do, ratherthan on what they can’t.

It is hard to do that, but I suspect thatmost people with handicaps find theymust accept their reality and move on. Itis not easy to have a crushed hand, tocarry your scars lightly, but there is a lifeto live. b

■ Jim Campbell is an Oakville-based writer

and author. Please send your comments to

[email protected] or via post

to 115 George St., Unit 1524, Oakville ON

L6J 0A4.

Rosemary Sutcliff, a RomanCenturion – who had suf-fered a career-ending legwound – said to a man he’dfreed from slavery, “Are yougoing to live all the rest ofyour life as though you hadtaken a whipping and couldnot forget it? Because if youare, I am sorry for you. Youdon’t like being a freed-man, do you? Well I don’tlike being lame. That makestwo of us, and the onlything we can do about it, you and I, is tolearn to carry our scars lightly.”

A lot of people overflow with bitternessat the hand they have been dealt in lifeand continually recount the details of theirmisfortune, of their handicap. The cursedthing that happened curses them everyday. They are the ‘talking’ wounded.

Long ago, Emperor Marcus Aureliussaid that remembering our grievances,adding them to our personal grief list,hurts our ability to deal with difficultiesas they occur. Adding up injuries puts aheavy load on every small injury and dif-ficulty. As a stoic, Marcus Aureliusbelieved nothing that happened shouldtouch your spirit – that we should act asif nothing had happened, and treat thegood, the bad and the in-between withequal distain.

I don’t think that’d work well; if youhave a withered leg from polio, a gimpyhand, asthma or acute anxiety – whatever,there is no sense denying that reality. Todo so also wouldn’t allow you to deal hon-estly with life, with your abilities.

How we deal with handicaps is impor-tant. Because, when I last checked, no oneis perfect. Thus, everyone has flaws andhandicaps of one sort or another. Whilesome never tire of telling their story ofhow their handicaps and flaws have notallowed them to live a full life, and how

Jim Campbell

Phot

o:St

ephe

n H

ess,

Axe

tyl P

hoto

grap

hy



10

We’ve all heard about how clutter can prevent our homefrom looking its best, but there is a much higher cost hiddenfrom view. You may not be aware of it on a conscious level,but if you have clutter in your home, it is draining you ofyour energy, both mental and physical.

This disorganization can have an impact on every areaof our lives. It acts as a barrier, blocking us from what wedesire. By clearing the clutter in our homes, we clearour lives and make space for what we truly want.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to concentratein a cluttered room? The piles are shouting out foryour attention and it takes energy to ignore the call.This mental noise is distracting, making it difficultto focus. It’s hard to make decisions when we can’tthink straight. It makes it almost impossible to set priorities.

As a result, everything on our to-do list seemsequally important. There’s so much to do that webecome overwhelmed and get very little done.This, in turn, causes stress, and lowers ourconfidence and self-esteem.

As it turns out, all the things we boughtto make us feel better about ourselves areactually doing the exact opposite. It’s impos-

HOME ORGANIZATION

clutterAre you feeling stuck? Having trouble deciding what

you want out of life? Lacking the focus and energy to

take action towards your goals? It’s probably not

you – it’s your clutter (those things that have very

little, if any, real value to you).

The hidden cost of

©R

ober

t Le

hman

n-Fo

tolia

.com

HOMEdigest • Fall 2009


11Fall 2009 • HOMEdigest«• A one-litre, brand-name bottle of water that costs $2.50 is 3,000 times more

expensive than the equal amount of municipal tap water.

DID YOU HEAR…?

terThe clutter in your home can drain both your physical and mental energy.

sible to know what we want out of life ifour mind is clouded and our self-care isneglected. We feel immobilized againsttaking any action to get unstuck.

Clutter can also cost us physically. Ittakes energy to look after all our stuff. Wehave to clean it, maintain it or repair it. Wehave to find places to put it when new stuffcomes in. This is time-consuming anddraining. We become so busy looking afterour stuff that we have no time left to nur-ture our selves. Clutter is the heaviest

anchor we can drag around. Eventually,the weight of it becomes too much and

can lead to illness.The high cost of clutter is not

limited to emotional and physicalhealth. It can also keep out all thegood things we want in life, likenew experiences, financial free-dom and fulfilling work. Everyitem carries energy and clutterblocks the easy flow of thatenergy. Even if the clutter is keptout of sight, you still know thatit’s there and you will feel it.That’s because energy cannot becontained behind closed doors.

By removing reminders ofnegative past experiences and

regrets, we release that stale energy andmake space for a clear, free-flowing ener-gy. This often attracts new opportunitiesfor personal growth and fulfillment. Andsince money is a form of energy, it canbegin to flow freely towards you, result-ing in financial gains.

As we clean out our closets and bringorder to our schedules, we are alsoremoving the debris from our lives andclearing the space for new opportunities,health and wealth. It’s very powerful andsymbolic.

You may not know exactly what youwant your life to look like right now. Butif you begin clearing the clutter, the fogwill lift and your true self will be revealed.You will literally remove the weight that’sbeen suffocating your soul and be free tosoar towards your dreams. b

■ Hellen Buttigieg, CPO, is a Certified

Professional Organizer, life coach, television

host and president of We Organize U. For tips

on organizing your home, your office and

your life, visit weorganizeu.com and sign up

for a free monthly newsletter. To contact

Hellen or for information on hiring a We

Organize U organizing specialist, e-mail

[email protected] or call 905-829-2219.

n cost of B Y H E L L E N B U T T I G I E G

©k&

s de

sign

-Fot

olia

.com


Mostly, you can let your garden decay naturally over the winter,but some jobs are best done now.

IN THE GARDEN

B Y R I C H A R D R I X

pile, this is a good time of the year tostart one. There’s lots of vegetative detri-tus around, including fallen leaves andwithered foliage. Virtually all of it workswell as compost material, though dis-eased or mildewed stuff is best disposed

Yes, it’s time to start

preparing for wint

er

Like it or not, winter will find us even-tually. While you can start to relax nowand not do very much in your gardenuntil early spring, there are some activitiesbest performed before the freeze sets in.

If you don’t already have a compost©V

italiy

Pak

hnyu

shch

yy,M

ark

Hul

s-Fo

tolia

.com




continued on page 14 ©M

icha

el S

hake

-Fot

olia

.com

of by other means. Large compostingoperations run by the municipalitiesdoubtless generate enough heat todestroy harmful plant bacteria and virus-es, whereas a domestic compost pile maynot. You may wish also to avoid com-posting such thick items as oak leaves,pine needles and woody stems, sincethey decompose slowly.

An enclosure for the compost pileworks best, though a plain heap in asunny spot will do the job. If you gardenon a large lot, you may require severalcompost bins of approximately one cubicmetre, plus a smaller bin to take care ofkitchen scraps, such as fruit and veg-etable parings, eggshells, tea leaves, cof-fee grounds and more. Raw kitchenmaterial is preferred over cooked stuff, soas not to encourage pests.

Fall is a good time to divide and replantperennials and increase your bounty.Generally, the correct way to do the job isto dig out the entire plant, divide it aboveground (generally by thrusting a gardenspade through the centre of the root mass,or cutting it with a sharp knife), and thenreplant the result. For some perennialswith a large root system, you may wish todiscard the old central portion of it andwork only with the relatively fresh outerroots. Plant new perennials in early fall

too, for great results. You can often pickthem up cheaply at this time of the year,as nurseries and garden centres are sellingoff their stock.

Fall is also an excellent time to beginthe process of transplanting trees. This isachieved by digging around the base ofthe tree until the entire root ball is free andthe tree is ready to be moved. However,don’t actually move the tree now: waituntil early spring to do it, for that is whentree growth is at its most vigorous and thetransplant is most likely to succeed.

LandscapingLate fall/early winter is a good time to re-contour the landscape, such as by addinga berm or installing rocks or statuaries. Afew large pieces of granite can workwonders by giving your yard both formand interest. There are many landscapecompanies in the GTA that will installhard material for you. It may be best tovisit one or two of them in person andchoose interesting items first hand.Limestone rocks can work well in certainsettings, but can’t compare with the gloryof naturally sculpted granite that hascolour, shape and texture.

Spring bulbs can be planted anytimeafter Labour Day and should all be in


IN THE GARDEN

the ground not much laterthan Thanksgiving. Thisgives them time to develop aroot system before theground freezes over. It’sgood to amend the soil withcompost when you plantbulbs, while the addition of a little bonemeal around the base of each bulb willwork wonders to nourish it.

Fall is also a good time to pruneshrubs and trees, excluding most ever-greens, which are best pruned by CanadaDay. Many perennials can be cut down tothe ground in the fall, too, such asBergamot, Columbine, Delphinium,Peonies (after a frost), Lily and perennialSalvia. Some perennials are fine to leaveintact, such as Sedum, hydrangea andornamental grasses, for they can lookattractive in a snow-covered landscape.

Protecting plantsTo protect or not to protect is an interest-ing question. Most hybrid tea roses willneed compost or extra soil (not scoopedup from around the bed) mounded uparound their base. Many climbing and ram-bling roses, once established, can readilysurvive when left unprotected. If you doplan to protect your roses, wait till after thefirst frost, when the ground is already start-ing to freeze. It is better to have the soilaround the base of the rose consistentlyfrozen through the winter than to gothrough periodic freeze/thaw cycles.

Rhododendrons are tricky to protect.Best grown under a high coniferouscanopy where they are protected fromthe summer sun, they can find them-selves suddenly thrust into bright sun-shine when the sun travels closer to thehorizon. Rhododendrons can cope quitenicely with this by drawing up extramoisture to compensate for transpiration,but once the relatively shallow root ball


freezes, they run into a prob-lem. Generally, you mustprotect rhododendron foliagefrom direct sun in Februaryand March, while allowingthe soil around the base toslowly warm up.

Lawn careLawns need nourishment before goinginto winter and it is best done in earlyfall. Then, grass can get in its most rapidgrowth spurt long before frost. Fall is alsoa time when many lawn weeds are set-ting seed. They should be carefullyremoved. It’s also an excellent time tospread grass seed and rake it in with peatmoss or a superior soil mix.

Don’t forget to dig up the summerbulbs and the plants that you wish toover-winter indoors, such as Gladiolus,tuberous Dahlia, some Hibiscus (usuallythe showier kind) and of courseGeraniums and Coleus. For the last two,you can bring in the complete plant, rootball and all, for wintering over, or takecuttings and allow them to root either inpotting soil or in water. With all cuttings,try not to take them too late, when theparent plant is becoming dormant.Cuttings generally fare better when takenfrom vigorous hosts.

Do make sure your evergreens go intowinter well watered. It will ensureenough moisture is available to helpthem survive transpiration through thecold months ahead. More evergreens diethrough drying out in winter than for anyother individual reason. Once they arewell established, it is usually not a prob-lem, but cedars, hollies, rhododendronsand many other evergreens will succumbif they dry out entirely. b

■ Richard Rix lives and gardens in the

Don Mills area of Toronto.

Richard Rix



With age, it’s common to find yourselfsuddenly squinting to read the newspa-per, or reaching for bifocals to read yourprescription bottles. Happily, there is nowa new procedure available in Oshawa tocorrect the effects of aging eyesight –NearVision CK.

The NearVision CK procedure takesonly a few minutes and involves the useof radio-frequency energy. The energyreshapes, tightens and restores the curva-ture of the cornea, which improves theup-close vision of that eye. The eye con-tinues to age naturally, so this treatmentcan be repeated as required. WithNearVision CK, the majority of patients

You can throwaway the reading glassesreturn to work and other normal activi-ties the day after the procedure.

Dr. Nijhawan’s Custom Vision andCosmetic Centre offers a unique combina-tion of vision correction and eye cosmeticsurgeries using today’s most advancedprocedures, including Near Vision CK.

Come in for a complimentary evalua-tion and let the staff of the CustomVision and Cosmetic Centre help youexplore all your vision and cosmeticoptions. b

■ For details, call 905-723-8551, toll-free

877-721-3937, or visit the website at

www.customvisionandcosmeticcentre.com.

YOUR HEALTH S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

With fall fast approaching, many people turn their attention toindoor refurbishing and decorating. Just as you put on a fresh coat ofpaint to revitalize a room, you can have your dull and tired hardwoodfloors refinished in just one day.

Mr. Sandless is offering hardwood floor refinishing without sanding! Sanding createsmessy dust, an odour that lingers, and you have to stay off the floor for days. With Mr.Sandless, there is no mess. You can walk on the floors when they’re done, and there is nounpleasant odour. It’s environmentally friendly as well.

Although new in the Durham Region, Mr. Sandless has over 80 locations across NorthAmerica, and has serviced over 30,000 floors. The company also provides carpet removaland furniture moving as part of the service.

If you want to beautify and protect your hardwood floors, try Mr. Sandless for a quick,no-mess and affordable solution. b

■ To learn more, contact Mr. Sandless Durham at (905) 438-9663 or toll-free at (877) 221-WOOD.


Revitalize hardwood floors without the mess


For me, as for many adults, a goodnight’s sleep is a carefully orchestratedevent. But it isn’t the bed itself, so oftenthe focus of bedroom decorating, that’sfundamental to creating the ideal sleepingenvironment. In fact, the most beautifulbed in the world is an unwelcoming thingwithout a great mattress and luxuriouslycomfortable sheets.

The mattressBecause we typically spend a third of ourlives in bed, it’s hardly extravagant tochoose a good-quality mattress. Similar toupholstered furniture, mattresses havehidden value, so it’s critical to do yourhomework before buying.

According to mattress maven ChristineMagee of Sleep Country Canada, the rightfit not only accommodates a comfortablesleep, it can minimize pressure points,

reduce tossing and turning, and addgreatly to the quality of sleep.

Mattress construction is important.Essentially there are four types of mat-tresses:� Pocket coil – each spring moves

independently, allowing for privatesleep space and excellent spinal align-ment.

� Open coil – interlinking springs, common in most manufacturers’ open-ing lines.

� Advanced technologies – manufac-turers’ proprietary coil systems.

� High-quality foam – natural latexprovides support and allows for aircirculation.Equally important are the comfort layers,

consisting of various types of foams orfelts, designed to make the mattress feelsofter or firmer, though they do not affectzi

grit-

Foto

lia.c

om

HOME DECOR

B Y K I M B E R L E Y S E L D O N

sleepA good night’sCreating a beautiful, restful bedroom begins with a good foundation.



the amount of support the bed yields.Higher-quality mattresses may be com-posed of natural fibre layers such as wool,silk or cashmere, providing exquisitecomfort and aiding the mattress in breath-ing and taking on the room temperature.There is also a growing trend towarddeeper, more luxurious mattresses.

The ticking or outer covering may be a poly product (most starter models), a cot-ton-poly blend (most mattresses) or 100%cotton (very top models).

A featherbedA featherbed, something like a duvet, hasa thin layer of down, duck and/or goosefeathers and is sandwiched between themattress and a fitted sheet. The best ver-sions have a pillow top of pure down, sothe feathers don’t jab. These days, allfeatherbeds and duvets are constructedwith baffle-boxes, stitching that prevents the feathers and down from clumping at the bottom or in corners.

Sharing a bedWhat about the couple whose sleep profiles differ – she’s a light sleeper and he’s a substantially heavierone? Doug McKinnon of Toronto’s City Mattress uses a computerized body profiler to solve this specific challenge. A two-minute test aidsconsumers in finding the ideal mattress.

Regardless of the construction, tomaintain the integrity and comfort of amattress, rotate it every three months.

The ultimate sheetsA proper mattress notwithstanding,sumptuous bedding can mean the differ-ence between a deep sleep and a restlessnight of discontent. Joanna Goodman ofAu Lit Fine Linens in Toronto encourages

consumers to consider several importantfactors when choosing sheets: the type ofmaterial, thread count, where the cottonis from, and where the cotton is woven.

Types of materialsEgyptian cotton is widely believed to bethe world’s best, most luxurious cotton.Its long fibres create the smoothest fin-ished product.

Less popular, though coveted by many,linen has a cool crispness that is ideal forsummer sleeping. Though purists insiston 100% linen, many find the wrinkledappearance and intrinsic roughness takesgetting used to. In that case, a blend oflinen and cotton, which is less wrinklyand softer, may be a better choice.

To avoid ironing, while enjoying theluxury of pure cotton or linen sheets,Goodman suggests removing items after

10 minutes in the dryer. Fold andsmooth sheets and pillowcases, ordrape them over a chair or shower

rod, to finish drying naturally. It’s the last 20 minutes in the dryer that causeswrinkles, she says.

Thread count and beyondFor truly luxurious sheets that wear beau-tifully over time, look for a thread countof between 200 and 600. However, don’tbe fooled, as thread count alone cannotdetermine the fineness of sheets. A 600-thread-count sheet made of inferior cot-ton and woven in cheap-labour countries(as opposed to Italy or Switzerland) isprobably poor quality. It’s important topurchase bedding from an informeddealer who can answer questions aboutorigins and content.

The ideal sheet is a matter of personalpreference. Some favour the crispness of250-thread-count percale (like a favouriteGAP shirt). Others swoon over 320-thread-count cotton sateen sheets (sateenis pure cotton whose weave gives it a A

lbix

-Fot

olia

.com



satiny sheen). In my opinion(and I sleep often), the ulti-mate splurge is a 600- thread-count Egyptian cotton,woven in Italy.

A word about menopauseFor women of a certain age,menopause brings an entirelynew dimension to getting agood night’s sleep. If nightsweats are a problem, here’swhat Goodman suggests: “First off, getrid of the polyester! Pure cotton breathes.Use a lightweight duvet that is very thin.The beauty of a down-filled duvet is thatthe down adapts to your body tempera-ture, so one partner can keep warmwhile the other is comfortably cool. If thenight sweats are really bad, sleep on cot-

ton sheets under a light cot-ton blanket.”

PillowsMost sleepers consider thebest pillows to be made ofpure down using hand-plucked Canadian goosedown. Often, the down iscleaned so the pillow ishypoallergenic. Feather-downblends also provide excellent

quality and give the pillow more firmness,allowing it to hold its shape longer. b

■ Kimberley Seldon Design Group is a

full-service design, build and decorate firm.

For more information, or to schedule a

consultation, phone 416-780-9187 ext. 227,

or visit www.kimberleyseldon.com.


Kimberley Seldon

OUT AND ABOUT

Consider treating yourself to a wonderful evening in a turn-of-the-century dairy barn. That’swhat Herongate offers. The dinner-theatre has been entertaining guests for over 35 years.

Your hosts, Ann Ward and Steve Graham, are confident that you will have a great time at Herongate. “We offer the best value package for an evening out in the GTA, and our new season of shows, combined with our four-courseCountry Buffet meal, win rave reviews from our patrons,” says Ann.

‘Shirley Valentine’, the current hit show, runs to Sept. 19. If youwant to see Cheer-Raising Theatre, call today. Herongate is locat-ed in the east end of the GTA, close to the 401 and 407. b

■ Details are online at www.herongate.com.

S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

DON'T MISS Shirley Valentine.Seats are limited.Ends Sept. 19.

A great evening out!

Inna

Kol

tsov

a-Fo

tolia

.com

HOME DECOR continued from page 17



©G

eeZ

ed a

nd ©

evoi

ff–Fo

tolia

.com


Sunrooms are becoming popular addi-tions to homes in the GTA. They are agreat way for homeowners to enjoy theiryards, regardless of the weather outside.

Unlike solariums, which have glass ceil-ings as well as windows, sunrooms featureglass walls and opaque ceilings. Optionalskylights can be added to the sunroom if the homeowner wishes. Sunrooms arealso a more economic choice. A 10 x 14-ft.sunroom is about half the cost of a com-parable solarium.

Lifestyle Sunrooms, located in Ajax, isCanada’s largest manufacturer of custom-built sunrooms. The company offers cathe-dral, studio and unique design rooms that

can be installed either on an existing deckor on an insulated foundation floor.Measurements and permits can be han-dled by Lifestyle Sunrooms. Installationtakes about two to three days.

There are three standard exteriorcolours to choose from: white, cream orhickory. Regardless of the design or finishcolour, all Lifestyle Sunrooms are designedto let in the maximum amount of light. b

■ To learn more about LifestyleSunrooms, visit the showroom at 239 Station St. in Ajax or go towww.lifestylesunrooms.com. You canalso call toll-free 1-800-465-0593.

Let the sunshinein with sunrooms

• Your home needs a manual for its maintenance. Some examples follow. Central air conditioners

should have fins and coils cleaned every spring to maintain effectiveness and efficiency. Plumbing

should be inspected every two years for damage and wear. Smoke alarms should be replaced every

10 years and CO detectors every seven years. Roof vents should be secured and

re-caulked every four years. Expensive repairs can be avoided through proper

household maintenance performed on a regular basis. The Home Owners

Manual electronic (HOMe) from Crimson Sage Softworks Inc. is a personal

online manual for home maintenance. It provides custom reports and information

to advise you how to properly maintain your home, and sends reminders to

help you ensure the jobs get done. Find out more at www.homemanual.net.

DID YOU HEAR…?

©k&

s de

sign

-Fot

olia

.com


THE RENO FILE

As we gently open the door to cool-er mornings and shorter days, we beginto change our thinking about our homes,from the exterior to the interior. Thusbegins another season of home renova-tion – inside – nicely sheltered from thenip of the wind.

Despite recent negative economicnews, homeowners – especially thosewith equity in their properties – are con-tinuing to invest in their primary asset ata generous pace. The renovation sector isstrong overall. This suggests that the typ-ical fall/winter renovation fury shouldonce again be going full force.

So as you start the process of designingand planning your next dream renovation,take some time when it comes to makingthe most important decision of all: Whowill you contract to handle the manage-ment and supply of your project needs?

All projects have a typical flow tothem, from your initial ideas and con-cepts, to the research necessary onpotential product solutions, to effectivespace planning and design options, toco-ordinating the logistics and the imple-mentation of the myriad details that willensure a successful result. Yet yourchoice of a contractor will have the mostimpact on your overall experience.

Once you’ve picked them, the prod-ucts and materials are static; they arewhat they are, and they will perform asadvertised. The one dynamic that standsin the way of a memorable experiencewill be the first person knocking on yourdoor for the next several weeks ormonths while the work is being conduct-ed. The contractor will become part ofyour family, part of your daily routine.He will be travelling all over your home,

Finding the pathto satisfactionB Y M A R K N O O N A N



often when you are away at work.This raises some questions. Is he

clean? Reliable? Respectful? Trustworthy?Will he smoke in the house when you’renot there? Are you getting your money’sworth? Is he committed to you or does hehave several jobs in progress at the sametime?

What happens if the project takeslonger? What happens if there is a neces-sary modification mid-stream? Mostimportantly, can you get along? You don’thave to become best friends, but you doneed to respect one another and commu-nicate effectively.

Often, there will be some aspect of therenovation to discuss. Without a contrac-tor who hears you and who cares aboutyour expectations, emotions will be test-ed and nerves strained if he tries to findthe path that offers him the easiest solu-tion, rather than one that offers you long-term satisfaction.

So picking the right company that canperform to your expectations is critical.Pricing is competitive these days, so ittoo becomes relative. If a price is too lowor too high, there’s a problem with com-munication and expectations already.Any professional company will be bangon with its numbers. And it should bebooked up a reasonable amount of timein advance. If it can start tomorrow, thinkabout why. Not being busy in this econ-omy is a good indicator that the contrac-tor is slow for a reason – usually one youdon’t want to personally experience.

Build a relationship with your contrac-tor before work starts. Get to know himand let him get to know you too.Because for better or worse, you will bespending a lot of time together while themagic happens. b

■ Mark Noonan is president ofPlumbing Mart. For more information,visit www.plumbingmart.ca.

AROUND THE HOUSE

Fireplace

refacingmade easy

Stone fireplace mantels can giveyour home an elegant look. If you havean old brick fireplace, refacing it is aneasy and cost-effective way of improv-ing its appearance. Creations Studiouses leading-edge technology to refacea brick fireplace without having toremove it. There are several types avail-able, such as cast stone or trowel-onfaux stone, as well as innovativedesigns, from simple to ornamental.Overmantels give you a great option ifyou want to put a flat-screen TV on topfor living rooms, or to make a nice placeto put art in a dining room.

With over 20 years of experience, satis-faction is guaranteed and you deal direct-ly with the owner, Laslo Csontos. No jobis too small or too big. For more informa-tion, visit www.creationsstudio.ca. b

S P O N S O R E D F E A T U R E

• Is that e-mail your friend

sent you true or a hoax?

(For example, fake mes-

sages such as "Microsoft will

pay you $245 for every per-

son you forward this e-mail to.")

When in doubt, check it out at Snopes.com,

a site that debunks Internet

hoaxes and urban legends.

DID YOU HEAR…?

©C

arm

en M

eiri

ng-F

otol

ia.c

om



Toaster oven includes temperatureprobeThe Hamilton Beach Set & Forget ToasterOven is versatile: it fits six toast slices, a12-inch pizza or a seven-pound chicken.With fast and even convection cooking,and a built-in temperature probe, it willheat meat to safe food temperatures with-out overcooking. It also cooks food thetraditional way when the probe or con-vection settings are not needed, and canshift to warming when time or tempera-

ture is reached in any mode. Other features include a digital touchpad and a non-stickinterior. Suggested retail price is $149.99.

You don’t have to choose between clean and greenSunlight has introduced Sunlight Green Clean, an environmentally friend-ly laundry detergent that helps homeowners choose greener productswithout having to compromise on cleaning performance. The product’ssuper concentrated formula includes plant-based cleaning ingredients,contains no chlorine or dyes, works in cold water and is biodegrad-able. It’s a ‘low-sudsing’ formula so it works in both standard and HE(high-efficiency) washers. The product is available in four differentscents in a concentrated 946 mL bottle that will wash up to 32loads, at $7.99. It also is available in a concentrated 2.83 L bottlethat will wash up to 96 loads in Citrus Fresh and Free & Clearscents, at $18.99.

Bring the café culture homeStriking in both function and style, homeowners can now bring caféculture into their homes with the launch of Nescafé Dolce Gusto, anew multi-beverage capsule system. It is the only single-serve coffeemachine that delivers hot and cold coffeehouse-quality beverages. Andwhile other single-cup coffee systems offer zero to three bars of pres-sure, Dolce Gusto features a 15-bar pressure system – equal to or

above coffeehouse machine standards. Seven different varieties can be

WHAT’S NEW

New products cover cooking to cleaning



customized to individual tastes, including Caffè Lungo, Espresso, Cappuccino, LatteMacchiato, Mocha, Iced Cappuccino and even a hot chocolate (Chococino). Simply pop ina capsule of Arabica roast and ground coffee and use the Custom Control Lever to cus-tomize to your taste and intensity. Suggested retail price for a Krups model is $249.99 and$229.99 for a T-Fal model; a pack of 16 capsules is $8.99.

Girl’s guide to grillingGathering Around the Grill, byAndrea Witzel and Kris Schumacher,is a new Canadian cookbook pub-lished by Onward ManufacturingCompany. The authors have takenthe guesswork and stress out of cel-ebration entertaining by crafting 21menus in their book. Let the ladiesbehind Canada’s barbecue familyshow you how taking cooking out-side any time of the year adds acasual, comfortable and relaxingspin on special gatherings. Theduo’s menus are designed to create memory-making events out of various milestones andspecial days. The book features 180 pages of recipes, and includes advice on testing meattemperature for doneness, and stocking your pantry with instant glazes, marinades andrubs. The book commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Witzel family’s business,Onward Manufacturing Company (OMC) in Waterloo, ON, the manufacturer of Broil Kinggas barbecues. Gathering Around the Grill ($34.99) is available at Words Worth Books andonline at www.gatheringaroundthegrill.com.

Smart paints help make jobs foolproofWith the launch of CIL’s new generation of wash-and-wear coatings, homeowners can add paint to their list ofitems that help save time without compromising on qual-ity. Called CIL Smart3 Interior Wash & Wear, the new lineis being billed as the ‘next generation of paint and coat-ings’ by offering innovative technologies that save timethrough little or no preparation, effortless cleaning andlong-lasting, high-quality results. CIL Smart3 is convenientto use and cost-effective – combining a built-in primerand one-coat coverage paint in a single can – and enableswalls to be washed and scrubbed without getting markedor scuffed, even on low-sheen, trendy finishes.Developed using Ceramic Micro-sphere and StainBlocktechnologies, the acrylic paint line creates a guard that resists chipping, scuffing and mark-ing, provides surfaces with superior adhesion, hide and coverage, and enables dirt andstains to be easily removed. It is being offered in all of CIL’s colours and in a variety offinishes, from ultra-matte to semi-gloss. Smart3 retails for $33-$45 per gallon.

The

se la

dies

com

e fr

om a

bar

becu

e fa

mily

.



«

WHAT’S NEW

Unique toaster gets a makeoverNearly 10 years ago, T-Fal introduced the Avante toaster, turningdesign on its head by moving the controls to the front and curv-ing the slots so you could see how your toast was doing – with-out singeing eyebrows. It was named by Gourmet Magazinein 2004 as one of the world’s top toasters. Now, it’s beengiven an even more contemporary look, by fine-tuning thefront design and enhancing its features. Available in two- andfour-slice versions, the new Avante Deluxe toaster has astainless steel front panel and a white or black casing. It hasextra-wide, self-adjusting slots, as well as a toast lift for easyremoval of small-sized breads. In addition, it toasts up to 30% faster. Abagel setting activates the middle elements to toast just the sliced sides. A defrost set-ting helps ensure bread taken directly out of the freezer doesn’t harden instead of toast-ing. Suggested retail price is $59.99 and $89.99. b

©k&

s de

sign

,Mak

sym

Yem

elya

nov,

Sand

ra B

runs

ch-F

otol

ia.c

om

• A one-litre, brand-name bottle of water that costs $2.50 is 3,000 times

more expensive than the equal amount of municipal tap water.

• Toronto sends up to 65 million empty plastic water bottles to the landfill

each year.

• On average, the in-home consumption of ketchup is 1.4 litres every year.

More than a third of the ketchup we eat is used in recipes such as

Shepherd's Pie, Meatloaf and Sloppy Joes.

• Paper Mate has introduced a new plastic-like ball-point pen and a mechanical pencil made using corn

sugar.When buried, the Biodegradable's components will naturally decompose within

about a year.

• What's the approximate life of a Canadian bank note? $5 and $10 – 1 to 2

years; $20 – 2 to 4 years; $50 – 4 to 6 years; $100 – 7 to 9 years.

• Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic disability among older adults.

Adult hearing loss can start as early as the third decade of life.

• The typical Canadian used-vehicle buyer is 44 years old, and slightly more than one-third are

female.

• Children with behavioural issues are 10 times more likely to actually have undetected language

disorders. Communication disorders in school-aged

children are often misdiagnosed as learning disabilities.

DID YOU HEAR…?




Are your kitchen cabinets lookinga little tired and outdated? If so, there is away to upgrade the style and colour ofyour kitchen without the cost of a full-scale renovation. It’s called cabinet refac-ing and it’s becoming more popularamong cost-conscious homeowners.

“What you’re doing withcabinet refacing is changingthe doors – replacing a tired,outdated colour, style andlook with something new,modern, and updated – with-out having to tear out yourentire kitchen,” says Tracy Maxwell ofGranite Transformations in Oakville.

Cabinet refacing also shortens thedowntime for your kitchen. A kitchenrenovation normally takes three to fourweeks to complete, during which accessto the kitchen is severely limited. Theprocess for refacing is simple and lessstressful than a renovation, and takesonly two to three days to complete.

First, a design consultant will visit yourhome with samples of cabinet doors andcolours. “You don’t have to worry aboutmaking the wrong decisions,” Maxwell

Reface Your Cabinets for a modern Look

says. “They will help you choose acolour and style that is most in line withyour decor and the style of your home.”

Once a style and colour are chosen,detailed measurements are taken, andthen everything is ordered. Once all thenew cabinetry and hardware are in stock,

a professional installer comesto complete the job. “There’sminimal disruption becausemost refaces take less than aweek,” Maxwell adds. “Andeconomically, it’s cost-effec-tive because we’re not dis-

rupting other parts of the kitchen.”During the installation process, all the

old doors and drawers are removed andtaken out for disposal. The rest of the cab-inets are laminated to match your newdoors. “You can actually change all thecolour in the kitchen if you want,” Maxwellsays. “Once that’s all done, your newdoors, drawers and hardware are installedand you’re ready for company.” b

■ For more information, visit the website at

www.granitetransformations.ca or come to

the showroom at 529 Speers Rd. in Oakville.

Here’s a fast and

cost-effective way to

upgrade the appearance

of your kitchen.

B Y G I N A M O N A C O



Fall 2009

Documents

dinner grouppartytimetimefall

dinner grouporganizing

dinner partymay

dinner group foryour

good nights sleepgarden

prewinter chorescogitate

hosting adinner party

scars lightlyorganize